Services like electrical repair, pest control, and landscaping keep homes safe, clean and green. But these professions are more dangerous than many realize. Every day, field service workers fall victim to electrocution, chemical exposure, and slips and falls. Between 2011 and 2021, the landscaping industry lost 1,072 people in work-related accidents. And that’s not the only startling statistic. 

  • 431 installation, maintenance, and repair workers died on the job in 2022, making this the third most deadly line of work. Only transportation and construction had more fatalities. 
  • 222 grounds workers lost their lives in 2022 — mostly due to falls, chemical exposure, electrocution, and tree-trimming incidents. 
  • Even electricians weren’t exempt, with 75 of them dying on the job.
Protect your people with Motive’s Ultimate Guide to fleet safety.

Transportation risks in field service lurk in plain sight

The vast majority of work-related fatalities in field service result from factors like those listed above. Despite these dangers, transportation incidents pose a bigger threat in field service than one might expect. 

Of the 75 electricians who suffered fatal injuries in 2022, 12 died in transportation incidents (16%). In landscaping, the leading cause of fatal injury comes not from chainsaws or mowers, but from workers being struck by vehicles. Even in pest control, where workers face countless safety and health hazards, traffic accidents pose the biggest risk. In fact, half of all respondents in a recent Pest Control Technology survey said they’ve been involved in an accident while driving their service vehicle. 

None of this should come as a surprise. After all, transportation incidents are the leading cause of death for commercial workers in the United States. 

  • A worker dies from a work-related injury every 96 minutes, and transportation incidents account for 38% of all occupational fatalities. 
  • Of nearly 5,500 work-related deaths in 2022, more than 2,000 of them occurred in transportation incidents. 

So while other risks may be top-of-mind for field service operators, vehicle accidents continue to pose a serious threat.

Key takeaways:

  • Field service professions are among the most deadly, with installation, maintenance, and repair work ranking third in fatalities; utility work ranks sixth.
  • In sectors like pest control and landscaping, traffic accidents are the leading cause of death.
  • While some businesses view safety as an added expense, the costs of inaction are often much higher. 
  • Fleets that use AI-enabled platforms report a decline in unsafe driving behaviors, leading to better performance and lower costs.

Safety technology offers a way out of this epidemic. Nonetheless, Motive’s State of Safety Report shows that many fleet leaders are underinvested in safety technology, whether for commercial vehicles or job sites. Some are even “drastically underinvested.” Ninety-five percent of commercial businesses say safety is a priority, but it’s not their top priority.

When asked to rank priorities from a list of options, respondents ranked increasing revenue (#1) and minimizing expenses (#2) higher than improving safety (#3).

The costs of inaction

Some businesses believe that investing in a driver safety program is too costly in the face of so many other expenses. However, research shows the opposite is true. Costs actually add up faster without a driver safety program in place. According to the National Safety Council, a single, fatal motor vehicle collision costs $1.8 million, on average. As accidents increase, insurance rates often rise. In fact, premium costs per mile have risen 47% in the last decade as lawsuits and nuclear verdicts have soared.

Leveraging AI for better fleet safety

With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), field service businesses can protect workers and prevent these astronomical costs. Motive’s State of Safety Report shows that businesses with world-class driver safety programs experience fewer accidents and safety incidents, lower insurance premiums, and higher driver retention rates.

And though some companies worry about driver pushback, businesses that deploy dual-facing AI dash cams actually retain more employees in the long run, not less. In fact, fleets using dual-facing cameras saw a 3% increase in driver retention after 75 weeks when benchmarked against road-facing dash cam users.

See how our AI can benefit your business:

We’re living in a new age, where AI is changing the way field services operate. The arrival of AI in field service has made processes faster and easier, improving the daily experience for both technicians and customers. But as you celebrate the impact AI is having on productivity, don’t overlook its potential to improve safety performance on the road.

Tree service provider Xylem Kendall didn’t overlook AI’s potential, and they’ve reaped the benefits. With about 3,000 assets, including bucket trucks and chippers, Xylem Kendall was looking for a way to prevent vehicle rollovers. They found it in Motive’s AI-powered platform.

Watch now: How Xylem Kendall transformed fleet safety with Motive.

Today’s leaders simply cannot have a world-class safety program without AI, and they’re seeing that in their own experience. Motive data shows that:

  • 57% of fleets that use AI dash cams report a decline in unsafe driving behaviors. 
  • 73% of leaders believe roads are safer with AI-enabled cameras/dash cams.
  • 64% say AI is crucial for preventing accidents and coaching drivers.
  • 49% say AI helps improve worker safety.

At Motive, we create technology and educational guides that empower safety leaders to be change agents and make a real impact. Get on the path to world-class safety performance with our Ultimate Guide: Building a World-Class Fleet Safety Program. We’ll help you: 

  • Assess the current state of your safety program
  • Strengthen your safety culture
  • Evaluate safety technologies
  • And ensure the essentials of a top-tier safety program

And if you’re interested in how Motive can help you chart a safer course, request a demo.