Driver license examiners serve as the first line of defense against unsafe drivers and driving practices by issuing driver licenses only to individuals that are able to safely operate motor vehicles. While they play an important role in preserving traffic safety, they are themselves exposed to high levels of safety risks as they test new drivers with limited driving proficiency and experience. Not surprisingly, this community of workers report a large number of work related incidents that are associated with a significant number of worker compensation claims. The purpose of the reported research was to gain a deeper understanding of the safety challenges and incidents that this community of workers experience to inform the adoption of effective safety practices and identify potential policy changes. The objectives of the study were accomplished in two complementary studies. The first study focused on performing a content analysis of incident reports involving driver license examiners that were maintained by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV).
The key findings from the first study include the following: (1) The most common event types that driver license examiners experience are collision with fixed object, overexertion and physical bodily reaction, and collision with another vehicle; (2) The most common contributing factors are failure to maintain control of vehicle and incidents experienced while examiners are exiting the vehicle; (3) Most incidents that result in injury involve injuries to multiple body parts, followed by injuries to the back, leg, and neck; (4) The most common injury types are strain, sprain, and bruising and contusion; (5) The injury outcomes are medical case, permanent disability, report only, and temporary disability. The second study involved a complementary effort where interviews were conducted with active driver license examiners to unveil safety challenges that are generally not captured as part of accident investigations. Some of the key challenges that were identified include (1) drivers reporting for testing or retesting without sufficient training, (2) communication challenges with prospective drivers that are not proficient in English, (3) drivers adopting driving customs learned in a another country, and others. The study also identified safety management solutions that driver license examiners adopt and other recommended safety solutions that can be possibly adopted in the future along with related implementation challenges.
