In the United States, extreme weather is associated with 7,000 fatalities, 800,000 injuries and more than 1.5 million crashes annually, with an estimated economic toll of $42 billion, according to the University of California, Berkeley.
Last year, we dealt with six named storms that dumped snow and ice across the Northeast, with Boston alone experiencing snowfall that totaled 120” over seven consecutive weeks. Up and down the east coast, we were in the thick of it.
Winter driving related crash statistics:
- 24 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy, or icy pavements
- 15 percent of weather-related vehicle crashes happen during snowfall or sleet
- 1,300+ people are killed, and 116,800 people are injured in vehicle crashes on snowy, slushy or icy pavements each year
- Accidents on icy roads kill at least twice the number of people annually than all other severe weather hazards combined (tornadoes, hurricanes, lightning, floods, high winds)
Ryder takes driver safety very seriously, and we want to keep your fleet operations running safer and smoother during the winter season. That’s why we created the Winter Preparedness Hub to provide practical advice, information and tips to keep your fleet up and running.
Watch this short video and learn more about how you can prepare your team, vehicles, and drivers for winter weather conditions.
Authored By Rick Jackson, Vice President, Northeast Operations, at Ryder.
