Workplace Safety Campaign Targets Risky Driving Behaviors On Our Nation's Congested Roadways

10/7/2002

From: Kathy Lusby-Treber of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, 202-452-6005

WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 -- Liberty Mutual Group, Nationwide Insurance, United Parcel Service, General Motors and Chubb Group of Insurance Companies join the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) today, at a 10 a.m. news conference in the Murrow Room at the National Press Club, to launch the 6th annual Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) campaign, October 7-11, 2002. The workplace safety campaign urges employees to "Drive Focused. Stay Safe" on America's "roads more traveled."

This year's Drive Safely Work Week campaign addresses aggressive, drowsy, distracted and alcohol-impaired driving; risky driving behaviors associated with our overcrowded roadways. With drivers experiencing anxiety, stress, fatigue, and numerous personal and work-related distractions, it's increasingly important for the American business community to make traffic safety a priority. One of the best ways to keep employees safe on the road is to promote safe driving practices.

"On-the-job highway crashes result in huge economic costs for employers, including lost productivity, property damage, workers' compensation, legal expenses and medical care," said Jeffrey Runge, MD, administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "An effective safety program and habits instilled at work have benefits for employees at home, for their families, and for the communities in which they live."

"A 2001 Liberty Mutual study found that 95 percent of business executives report that workplace safety programs -- especially driver safety programs -- have had a positive impact on their company's financial performance and 61 percent believe their companies receive a return on investment of $3.00 or more for every $1.00 they invest in improving workplace safety," said David Melton, Director -- Transportation Technical Consulting Services at Liberty Mutual.

The Texas Transportation Institute's (TTI) 2002 Urban Mobility Study indicates that traffic congestion has spread to more cities, to more of the road systems within cities, to extended periods of time during the day, and to more days of the week. With 28 percent of all personal trips attributed to work-related travel, it is now estimated that two out of every three drivers experience congestion on their morning or evening commutes. TTI further reports that there are not enough improvements being made to the system today to reverse the trend.

A national " Roads More Traveled" survey, conducted for NETS, September 6-8, 2002 asked employees about their driving behavior when commuting to and from work and when driving for work-related purposes. Sixty-eight percent indicated that they frequently or occasionally engaged in distracted driving, 30 percent admitted to driving aggressively or taking chances to get to work on time, and 30 percent admitted to being drowsy or sleepy while driving. A NETS "Roads More Traveled" online poll found that while driving, 44 percent said they kept in touch with their office via cell phone, 31 percent ate a snack or meal, and 14 percent read a map.

When poll respondents were asked what frustrated them during their commute or while driving for work, respondents reported great frustration with other drivers who were driving aggressively (88 percent) or distracted (38 percent) or who were not obeying traffic laws (84 percent). Eighty-three percent expressed overall frustration with traffic congestion and delays and 43 percent felt that their frustration while driving negatively affected their own driving performance.

"Traffic congestion and delays threaten our quality of life, waste significant time and money, reduce productivity, and promotes risky driving behavior," said Kathy Lusby-Treber, Executive Director of NETS. More time on the "roads more traveled" results in less time at home or the office, causing drivers to feel the pressure to multi-task just to keep up with their responsibilities," said Lusby-Treber. "Being distracted, angry, tired, or impaired while driving can result in a crash, which, unfortunately, contributes to even greater congestion. This is of particular concern to NETS, as we work with employers to build a road-wise workforce, making safe driving practices a part of every trip, every day, on and off the job.

To "protect the health and well being of its most valuable resource - its associates," Nationwide Insurance is an active participant in DSWW. "Through research, education, communication, and partnerships, Nationwide has worked hard to improve the safety of our roadways and vehicles. Drive Safely Work Week is one way we carry that message to our associates who in turn carry the message to friends and family," said Tim Hoyt, Vice President of Safety for Nationwide Insurance in Columbus, Ohio.

Jay Minotas, manager of the General Motors (GM), Safe Driving Program, says the United Auto Workers and GM implement Drive Safely Work Week at GM facilities across the country each year "as a part of our UAW-GM Safe Driving Program for all of our employees, because we understand the clear need to be pro-active when it comes to safety. These campaigns provide a very valuable service to employees, their families and the communities in which they live and work. We care about our GM people and want them to know that whether they are driving for work or for pleasure, safe driving is a full-time job," said Minotas.

Grady Brown, Corporate Fleet Safety Manager for UPS in Atlanta, Georgia credited his company's comprehensive driving course for the outstanding safe driving performance of their company's 87,000 drivers. UPS, he said, teaches drivers "The Five Seeing Habits," and he noted that all drivers need periodic reminders of the importance of safe driving. "Our drivers log over 2 billion miles per year on U.S. roads and have less than one accident per million miles," he said. He indicated that UPS supports the Drive Safely Work Week campaign to educate all employees about safe driving practices.

Mike Heembrock, vice president of Loss Control for Chubb Group of Insurance Companies of Warren, New Jersey issued a call to action to employers across the country. "Employers must take responsibility for the well-being of their employees when they are engaged in work-related travel. Employers must promote safe driving practices and implement corporate policies and programs that allow all employees to drive focused to stay safe."

As part of the "Roads More Traveled" survey, NETS asked employees what their employers could do to make them feel safer on the road. "Their responses are a call to action for all employers to implement these strategies to create a safe work environment," said Heembrock.

-- 56 percent said employers should set policies and provide information that encourages safe driving practices. -- 53 percent said employers should provide information about local road and travel conditions. -- 52 percent said employers should permit flexible scheduling to allow commuting during off-peak hours -- 49 percent said employers should allow flexible scheduling during the workday to provide more time to drive to off-site locations.

NETS is an employer-led, public/private partnership dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work, by reducing the number of traffic crashes that occur on and off the job. NETS provides employers of all sizes with effective programs, policies, best practices, and employer-led activities related to traffic safety, thereby helping organizations to improve employee relations while reducing the cost of doing business. Information on NETS is available from the organization's web site at www.trafficsafety.org.

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Organizations involved in the campaign include: AAA, Anheuser-Busch Companies, AT&T Wireless Services, Autoliv, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Cingular Wireless, Coors Brewing Company, Federal Highway Administration, General Motors Corporation, Henkels & McCoy, Inc., Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, State of Massachusetts, State of Michigan, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Nationwide, Safety Improvement International, TML Information Services, Inc., United Parcel Service