Network of Employers for Traffic Safety and U.S. Department of Transportation Team to Offer Free On-line Resource to Battle Distracted Driving and Improve Employee Safety

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 29, 2010

Contact:

Jack Hanley     (314) 680-3293

jhanley@trafficsafety.org

Vienna, Va. –The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety has partnered with the  U.S. Department of Transportation to offer a free comprehensive tool kit to help companies address distracted driving and improve the driving safety of employees — whether they drive on the job or just to and from work.

Employee traffic crashes, both on and off the job, cost employers an estimated $60 billion annually, according to the most recent government study.

The 2010 Drive Safely Work Week™ (DSWW) tool kit was developed by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) with support from the U.S. Department of Transportation.  The theme of this year’s campaign is “Focus…Safe driving is serious business.” The DSWW materials are designed to support employer efforts to prepare employees for the launch of a corporate mobile device policy. The campaign’s activities, however, can also benefit organizations that are looking to educate employees on the dangers of distracted driving, particularly talking and texting while behind the wheel.

“Getting the business community involved in helping combat distracted driving is critical,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  “When companies adopt policies against distracted driving, they are increasing the safety for everyone on our roads, and we are grateful to NETS for making this a priority.”

The tool kit provides easy-to-use Web-based resources to support targeted activities for each day of the campaign week.  These include interactive, electronic tools, downloadable graphics and daily communications messages.

“The campaign is a call to action for employers to do something to curb distracted driving,” said Bill Windsor, NETS chairman. “Whether it’s reinforcing or strengthening an existing cell phone policy, preparing employees for the launch of a new policy or simply raising awareness of the issue through education, the Drive Safely Work Week™ campaign provides meaningful tools and activities to help accomplish any of these objectives.”

About DSWW

Drive Safely Work Week™ is observed nationally each year during the first full week of October; however, the materials are not dated and may be used anytime throughout the year.  The DSWW 2010 tool kit can be downloaded at no cost now through Sept. 20, via the NETS Website at http://www.trafficsafety.org

About NETS

NETS is a 501(c)3 organization, a partnership between the U.S. Federal government and the private sector.  Board members include Abbott, AmeriFleet Transportation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Monsanto Company, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Group, and UPS.  Established in 1989, NETS is dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes that occur on and off the job.   NETS has sponsored DSWW annually since 1996. For more information on NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org or send an email to jhanley@trafficsafety.org.

NETS survey of leading employers’ mobile phone policies shows common trend

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Vienna, VA— A survey by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) of 24 leading companies that operate fleets shows that 74 percent either have policies in place or are planning to implement policies that ban the use of all mobile devices while driving company vehicles. The rules apply to both hand-held and hands-free devices.

While all of the companies surveyed ban hand-held mobile devices, which would prohibit texting, most companies have specific language in their policies regarding text messaging.  In many cases, the policies apply whether the driver is operating a company-owned vehicle or is using a personal vehicle for company business.

Many of the companies surveyed have been pioneers in the effort to counter distracted driving, with policies banning all use of mobile phones implemented as early as 2004.

“Companies that operate in multiple state jurisdictions or where drivers are likely to cross state lines to conduct business cannot rely on state legislation alone to keep employees safe and protect their bottom line,” said Jack Hanley, Executive Director of NETS.  “Employers are implementing these policies to protect their employees and because it is the responsible thing to do.”

Research has shown that the best model to change behavior is education combined with legislation and enforcement. As a means of enforcement, some companies have a zero-tolerance policy resulting in termination for employees who use their mobile phones while driving company vehicles. Companies surveyed also reinforce the importance of attentive driving through workplace safety campaigns and continuous training.

This survey is a follow-up to an earlier NETS benchmarking study of leading companies with a combined 2008 US-based fleet of 185,000 passenger vehicles.  That study found that a total ban on mobile phone use was a common attribute of the companies with the best road safety performance.
Participants in the survey included global leaders in the pharmaceutical, packaging, food and beverage, oil and gas, manufacturing, and insurance industries.  A summary of the 24 policies submitted is available on the NETS Website.

NETS is a 501(c)3 organization, a partnership between the U.S. federal government and leading companies including Abbott, AmeriFleet Transportation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Chubb Group of Insurance,  Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Monsanto Company and UPS.  Established in 1989, NETS is dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes both on- and off-the-job.  For more information about NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org.

NETS-sponsored benchmark of 350,000 passenger vehicles, 6.78 billion miles of travel yields best practices in fleet safety

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Large road safety study shows there is STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Traffic crashes are the number one cause of workplace death and injury. Now, a study of 36 leading companies with a combined fleet of 350,000 passenger vehicles that logged nearly seven billion miles in 2008, has yielded best practices of effective road safety programs.

The STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Fleet Benchmarking Study, sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), is the largest benchmarking of fleet passenger vehicle safety ever conducted by the organization. The study is based on standardized data collected by participating organizations over a 12-month period.

The study revealed a number of proactive best practices that are common among the companies with the lowest employee crash rates, including:

  • Crashes per million miles (CPMM) is tracked monthly.
  • Top performing companies publish a monthly road safety “Scorecard.”
  • Safety is part of the corporate credo of the lowest CPPM companies.
  • Leading companies are more likely to ban the use of mobile phones– hand-held and hands-free – while employees are driving on company business.
  • Lessons learned following a serious collision are shared with the entire organization.

The study group revealed a crash rate per million miles that ranged from less than one to more than 16. All survey responses were reported anonymously with numbers assigned to participants so they could see where they ranked against the others. No company names were revealed.

In its on-going mission to reduce workplace traffic fatalities and injuries, NETS brought together the STRENGTH IN NUMBERS road safety benchmark study participants at a conference in Charlottesville, Va. to review the latest findings. Among the participants were global leaders in the pharmaceutical, packaging, food and beverage, oil and gas, manufacturing, and insurance industries. Representatives attending the conference came from all over the U.S., the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

“By sharing safety data across industries, companies and organizations learn which common program elements are found in the best road safety programs,” said Maureen Mazurek, director of human rights for Monsanto Company and chairperson of NETS. “Combining that with the opportunity to discuss specific challenges and share successes with other road safety professionals makes participation in the (STRENGTH IN NUMBERS) benchmarking study invaluable.”

About the STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Fleet Benchmarking Study

The STRENGTH IN NUMBERS road safety benchmarking study brings together companies willing to look at their own crash metrics, compare findings and share what they’ve learned. The program is for all types of companies and organizations— large or small, local or global, public or private. Once compiled, the resulting benchmarking data show how a company compares in terms of crash frequencies, taking into consideration road safety policies, driver training programs, crash review practices and more. Members identify best practices to put in place a cost effective, integrated, and comprehensive plan to improve their fleet-safety performance.

The STRENGTH IN NUMBERS fleet benchmarking program also includes access to road safety experts and an invitation to attend and participate in NETS’ annual Benchmark Best Practices Conference. For more information on the STRENGTH IN NUMBERS fleet benchmark program or on becoming a participant, visit the NETS website at www.trafficsafety.org.

About NETS

NETS is a 501(c)3 organization, a partnership between the U.S. federal government and leading companies including Abbott, AmeriFleet Transportation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Chubb Group of Insurance, General Motors Company, Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Monsanto Company and UPS. Established in 1989, NETS is dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on- and off-the-job. For more information on NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org or send an email to jhanley@trafficsafety.org.