Car Accidents While Working

Driving is unquestionably the most dangerous activity most of us engage in on a daily basis. Each year, approximately 1.35 million people around the world lose their lives in fatal car accidents, and up to 50 million people suffer non-fatal injuries—many of them serious and resulting in long-term disabilities—in motor vehicle accidents globally.

In the U.S., motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths.

For many Americans, driving commercial trucks, cars and vans is a regular and essential part of their job. These hardworking men and women are at higher risk of sustaining a serious injury or being killed in an auto accident.

Work-related auto accidents aren’t just a concern for truck drivers, bus operators, delivery drivers and taxi drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the 1st or 2nd leading cause of death in every major industry group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Errands for Work in Your Personal Vehicle

If your employer reimburses you for mileage, you are likely acting within the scope of your employment, but what if you were simply running an errand, like dropping the company mail at the post office? Business errands, just like other acts you perform on behalf of your employer, are nearly always considered acting within the scope of employment.

Why? Because acting in the scope of employment means your employer benefits from your activity, even if it is just dropping off the mail. You are still on the job even if you are using your personal vehicle.