FACEValue: Worker dies in crash after texting while driving

Case report: #19KY013
Issued by: Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program
Date of incident: Feb. 19, 2019

A medical information technology consultant was driving in the far-right lane of a six-lane interstate when he crashed his vehicle. A police officer who was on routine patrol witnessed the crash and said he saw the driver texting. At that moment, the victim’s vehicle began to drift onto the right shoulder. The victim attempted to regain control, but was unable to do so before striking a guardrail. After the vehicle contacted the guardrail, the victim again attempted to regain control, but the force of the impact, in addition to the driver overcorrecting, propelled the vehicle across all three westbound lanes of traffic and into the concrete median barrier that separates east and west traffic flow. The victim was not wearing a seat belt. He was transported to an area hospital, where he died 10 days later. The cause of death was traumatic brain injury resulting from blunt force trauma sustained when the victim’s head struck the windshield of his vehicle.

To help prevent similar incidents:

• Implement a no-texting-while-driving policy.
• Mandate the use of seat belts while driving on company time.
• Implement defensive driver training for employees who are required to travel.
• Replace W-beam highway guardrails with cable barriers.

To download the full report, go to sh-m.ag/37EW2nD.