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Winter Weather-Related Crashes during the Commute to Work: An Opportunity for Total Worker Health ®

Author

Listed:
  • Jonathan Davis

    (Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 145 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

  • Diane S. Rohlman

    (Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 145 North Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA)

Abstract

Background: The ways workers interface with their workplace and work are changing. These changes provide challenges and opportunities for health and safety professionals attempting to improve worker wellbeing for the future of work. For many workers, the morning commute, an activity typically outside the scope of workplace policies, is the most hazardous portion of the day. The hazard increases if workers are required to drive during winter weather or in other hazardous conditions in order to adhere to strict workplace start times. This research describes the role winter weather plays during the morning commute, demonstrating the need for organizational design and work arrangements that improve safety during the commute to work. Methods: Crash data from the Iowa Department of Transportation for the years 2013–2017 was linked to county level characteristics from the American Community Survey. Crashes were characterized by 30-min time intervals. The likelihood of the crash involving winter weather as a contributing circumstance was compared across time-intervals. Results: Winter weather was more likely to contribute to crashes during the commuting hours compared to 11:00 to 11:59 am. Winter weather was most frequently a contributing circumstance during 8:00–8:29 a.m. (OR = 2.21 95% CI: 1.93–2.52). Conclusions: Winter weather plays a role in crashes during commuting hours. Workplaces can adopt policies for flexible work start times or for telecommuting to empower workers to avoid hazardous driving conditions.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonathan Davis & Diane S. Rohlman, 2021. "Winter Weather-Related Crashes during the Commute to Work: An Opportunity for Total Worker Health ®," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-10, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10268-:d:646471
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Black, Alan W. & Mote, Thomas L., 2015. "Effects of winter precipitation on automobile collisions, injuries, and fatalities in the United States," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 165-175.
    2. Sara L. Tamers & L. Casey Chosewood & Adele Childress & Heidi Hudson & Jeannie Nigam & Chia-Chia Chang, 2019. "Total Worker Health ® 2014–2018: The Novel Approach to Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being Evolves," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Ben Clark & Kiron Chatterjee & Adam Martin & Adrian Davis, 2020. "How commuting affects subjective wellbeing," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(6), pages 2777-2805, December.
    4. Andrey, Jean, 2010. "Long-term trends in weather-related crash risks," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 247-258.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara L. Tamers & Jessica M. K. Streit & Casey Chosewood, 2022. "Promising Occupational Safety, Health, and Well-Being Approaches to Explore the Future of Work in the USA: An Editorial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-7, February.

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