Free Tool Kits For Drive Safely Work Week

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The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) annual Drive Safely Work Week campaign, supported by NAFA, takes place October 4-8 with the theme "Focus... Safe Driving Is Serious Business." This year's campaign is focused more on employers and districted driving but especially in the area of electronic device policies. The campaign materials offer tips on how to prepare an organization for the launch of a new cell phone policy or reinforce an existing policy and how to build awareness on the issues related to distracted driving while developing strategies to minimize the danger.

"What we found when we went back and asked people what they liked and what we could do better - and what we're hearing is this is a very sensible and practical way to reinforce a cell phone policy or even put in place a cell phone policy that makes sense," said Jack Hanley, Executive Director, Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.

As part of NETS campaign, a tool kit featuring facts on distracted driving, interactive quizzes and tools, daily activities and communication messages, and downloadable posters for the office is available. More than 4,000 tool kits have been downloaded and, due to the popularity, NETS has decided to keep the tool kits available free of charge.

"We've made the decision to not charge for them at all. It's nice to be able to offer something that is promoted well, good, and free," Hanley said.

A comprehensive study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2000 titled "The Economic Burden of Traffic Crashes on Employer..." found employer health care (medical) spending for motor vehicle crashes was $7.7 billion and another $8.6 billion was spent on sick leave and life and disability insurance for crash victims. Developing a proactive traffic safety program is one of the best ways to control costs from workplace vehicle crashes.

Safe driving is essential to the fleet managers who belong to NAFA, a group that collectively manages several million vehicles traveling on North American roads each day. NAFA has lent its support to the annual campaign for the past several years through a series of articles in the Association’s print and online publications, press releases, and email blasts to the membership.

NETS, which has sponsored Drive Safely Work Week since 1996, is dedicated to improving the health and safety of employees, their families, and the community by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on- and off-the-job.