Whether continued advances in technology are the solution to MVAs remains to be seen. (Photo: Shutterstock)
Workers' compensation motor vehicle accident (MVA) frequency has increased recently after an extended period of declines, according to NCCI Research Brief, "Motor Vehicle Accidents in Workers Compensation." This runs counter to the overall frequency decline in workers' compensation but is in line with an increasing frequency of injuries caused by MVAs in the U.S. since 2011.
Pump the brakes
Workers' comp has experienced a long-term decline in overall claim frequency, which NCCI attributes to automation, robotics and continued advances in safety as contributing factors. For workers' comp MVA claims, the story is quite different, with frequency declining for many years and then suddenly turning upward.
Additionally, NCCI's brief notes the increasing popularity and use of smartphones coincides with this growing trend of MVAs. By the end of 2010, 27% of crashes involve drivers talking and texting on cellphones.
Key figures
- MVA claims tend to represent a higher share of the costliest claims. Over a five-year period, MVA claims accounted for 28% of claims above $500,000 versus just 5% of all claims.
- An MVA claim is 12 times more likely to result in a fatality than a non-MVA claim.
While technology has improved vehicle safety, MVAs in workers' comp and in the general population have been on the rise over the last five years. Whether continued advances in technology are the solution to MVAs remains to be seen.
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