Motor vehicle accidents are the No. 1 cause of work-related fatalities. The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) has launched a free, comprehensive online toolkit to help employers plan ahead for Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW), the October workplace campaign that seeks to improve the safety of employees, employee family members and their communities.
The campaign theme this year is “#PlanAhead - Your Key to Driving Safely.” Campaign materials, which can be downloaded at www.trafficsafety.org, underscore that planning may be the most critical leg of any driving trip, whether the trip takes place on the job or off. Emphasizing the importance of advance preparation, the campaign will help to minimize risks on the road and offers resources to help become a better planner for both business and personal travel.
“Planning is critical to safe driving from many different perspectives,” said Joe McKillips, chairperson of NETS, and director, commercial environment, health & safety for the global healthcare company Abbott. “It can be as simple as planning the best route. Other times it can mean planning for a designated driver, setting aside time with your teen driver to practice or talking to an older family member about the possibility of limiting their driving. These considerations and more are covered in this year’s campaign materials.”
The campaign was developed using the expertise of NETS’ member companies, collectively representing a fleet of more than half a million vehicles that travel in excess of 11 billion miles globally each year. Actionable steps are provided to help drivers be at their best behind the wheel.
The 2015 DSWW campaign’s daily areas of emphasis will help you to:
- Remember to take time to plan the journey – even those that feel routine;
- Prepare for driving situations that take you into unfamiliar areas;
- Take precautions to ensure you’re driving with a clear head;
- Learn to navigate the changes we all experience as we age and how they may affect driving; and
- Think through ways to plan ahead for driving situations that involve family members.
The free DSWW toolkit provides easy-to-use, Web-based resources, including facts and tips, downloadable graphics and activities tailored for each day of the campaign week. The toolkit also includes materials geared towards management to encourage the review of safe driving policies and guidelines, as well as integrating road safety into existing wellness programs.