"Mind-Body-Vehicle"-Themed Campaign Promotes Work-Related Safe Driving

October 7, 2013- Employers are being encouraged to help promote safe driving and reduce on-the-job highway fatalities with a targeted campaign entitled Drive Safely Work Week.

According to The Society For Human Resource Management (SHRM) website, October 7-11, 2013 has been designated as Drive Safely Work Week by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), a partnership between the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and private-sector companies such as AmeriFleet Transportation, Johnson & Johnson and Liberty Mutual Insurance Group.

"Every day millions of employees drive to and from work or spend their workday driving," SHRM said. "Sadly, about 2,000 workers die each year on the road while commuting or working."

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related fatalities among people ages 16 to 24 in the United States, according to NIOSH.

The annual campaign's theme for its fourth year is “Gear up for safe driving: mind-body-vehicle.” Sandra Lee, Director of Worldwide Fleet Safety for Johnson & Johnson and Chairwoman of NETS, highlights the focus on "taking a holistic approach to safe driving," and “how being at your physical and mental best, along with the ‘health’ of your vehicle, are all connected in making us safer drivers.”

NETS’ member companies, which collectively represent a fleet of more than half a million vehicles, combined their expertise in creating the campaign and a free online toolkit with resources, tips on each issue, downloadable graphics and activities tailored to each day of the campaign.

In their post, SHRM lists several important preventive measures highlighted in the Drive Safely Work Week campaign:

- Getting your vision checked regularly

- Being well-rested and properly fueled

- Keeping your vehicle in good condition through preventive maintenance

- Getting the right fit to your vehicle to maximize your field of vision

SHRM reports that according to NETS an average of 3,500 organizations have participated annually in the safety program, representing 16.5 million employees per year.

Read the full SHRM post here. The NETS online toolkit is available here on the trafficsafety.org website.

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