Traffic Safety Strategies for the Workforce

www.drivesmartva.org

Traffic Safety Strategies for the Workforce


In Virginia in 2011

• There were 120,514 traffic crashes

• 764 people died on our roadways

• 63,382 people were injured


In the United States...Every...• 5 seconds a crash occurs• 7 seconds a property damage crash occurs• 10 seconds there is a traffic related injury• 2 minutes there is an alcohol-related injury• 12 minutes someone dies in a traffic crash• 31 minutes an alcohol-related crash fatality

occurs• 113 minutes a pedestrian is killed in a crash• 4 days an employee dies in a work-related crash

(NETS)


Why talk Why talk traffic safety traffic safety

to to employees?employees?


• Motor vehicle-related incidents are the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States.• There were 118 workplace fatalities in Virginia in 2009 (156 in 2008).• 30% of those fatalities were transportation incidents .• Transportation and material moving occupations had the highest number of workplace fatalities at 35.(Virginia Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries)

In the Workplace


Danger in the Workplace

“The most dangerous part of the day for any employee is the time they spend in their vehicle.” -- NETS


Crashes on and off the job effect your bottom line

• The average commuter spends approx 26 minutes traveling approx 15 miles to work

• 90% of all employees commute

• 81% use their personal vehicle

(NETS)


What Causes Most Crashes?• Not the road

• Not the vehicle

• Most crashes are caused by driver error

-Insurance Institute for Highway Safety


Driving distracted


Distracted Driving A Virginia Tech study reported that

•80% of all crashes and•65% of all near-crashes

involved a distracted driving incident within 3 seconds of the crash


Distracted Driving is defined as diversion of attention away from activities critical for safe driving

toward a competing activity

It could be as simple as changing the radio

What Is Distracted Driving?


Dangerous Behaviors


Drivers who use cell phones are 4x more likely to be in a crash while using a cell phone.

(1997 New England Journal of Medicine, 2005 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study)

The Danger of Cell Phones


Type of distraction• More than 16 people die each day and

1300 are injured due to crashes involving a distracted driver.

• There are 3 form of distraction:• Manual/Physical (hands off the wheel)• Visual (eyes off the road)• Cognitive (mind off the road)(National Safety Council)


Cell Phone & Distracted Driving Policy

• Attorneys frequently subpoena cell phone records in higher severity incidents. • Protect your company• Written policy on cell phone use and texting and driving• Consequences for non-compliance• Practice what you preach


Understanding the brain• Can we truly multi-task?• Brains juggle tasks, performing only one task at a

time.• We screen out information to deal with distraction

overload.• Inattention blindness is big risk: look but don’t see.• Results: missed exits, running red lights & stop

signs, missing important signage.(National Safety Council)


It is critical that top management make safety a top priority and send that

message from the top.

How is this Your Problem?


10 steps to safe driving environment

Minimize the risk of traffic crashesHire capable driversOnly eligible drivers drive

Benefit• Lower insurance cost• Safe employees


Senior Manager CommitmentEmployee Involvement

The safety of an organization’s employees is so important, it requires the attention of top-level

managers.

Provide leadershipSet policiesAllocate resources to create safety cultureActively encourage employee participation


Written Policies & ProceduresA written statement emphasizing the commitment

to reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries.

Comprehensive and enforceable set of traffic safety policies

Communicate to all employeesPost them throughout the workplaceDiscuss the policies at company meetingsOffer incentives for sticking to the rules


Driver AgreementsContract for all employees who drive for

workEmployees acknowledge organization’s traffic

safety policies, procedures, and expectationsImportance of driver performance, vehicle

maintenance Need to report moving violations.


Motor Vehicle Record ChecksCheck the driving record of all employees who

drive for work purposesscreen out drivers who have poor driving recordsPeriodically review driving recordClearly define the number of violations for

employee before they lose the privilege of driving for work

provide training where indicated


Crash Reporting and InvestigationAll crashes should be reported to employee’s

supervisor as soon as feasible after the incident.

Traffic safety policies /procedures should clearly guide drivers through responsibilities in crash situation.

All crashes should be reviewed to determine their cause and whether preventable


Vehicle Selection, Maintenance and InspectionSelecting, maintaining and inspecting

company vehicles is an important part of preventing crashes

routine preventive maintenance schedule for servicing

Checking of safety-related equipment.Personal vehicles used for company business

generally the responsibility of the owner.


Disciplinary Action SystemDevelop a strategy for occurrence of a

moving violation and/or “preventable” crash.corrective action programs availableprogressive discipline if a driver begins to

develop a pattern of repeated traffic violations and/or preventable crashes.


Reward/Incentive ProgramDevelop and implement a driver reward/incentive program

to make safe driving an integral part of your business culture.

Positive results are realized when driving performance is incorporated into the overall evaluation of job performance.

use of incentives to motivate the achievement of apredetermined goal or to increase participationrecognition, monetary rewards, special privileges


Driver Training/CommunicationProvide continuous driver safety training and

communication.experienced drivers benefit from periodic

trainingand reminders of safe driving practices


Regulatory Complianceadherence to highway safety regulationsestablish which, if any, local, state, and/or

federal regulations govern your vehicles and/or drivers.


Review:10 steps to minimize crash risk

1. Senior Management Commitment & Employee Involvement

2. Written Policies and Procedures3. Driver Agreements4. Motor Vehicle Record Checks5. Crash Reporting and Investigation6. Vehicle Selection, Maintenance and Inspection7. Disciplinary Action System8. Reward/Incentive Program9. Driver Training/Communication10. Regulatory Compliance


•$18 million lawsuit: Holmes Transport was ordered to pay damages to a man left unable to walk or talk after a crash caused by one of their drivers who was distracted by a cell phone.

•$5.2 million lawsuit: An International Paper employee was using her company -supplied cell phone when she rear-ended a vehicle.

Don’t let this happen to your company


Cost of crashes

• $170 billion overall price tag

• $16,500 per crash

• $76,300 per injury crash

• $504,400 per fatal injury

(NHTSA & NETS)


Cost of crashesMedical care and disability payments; physical and

vocational rehabilitationOvertime to cover the work of a missing employeeThe loss of special knowledge or skillsRecruiting and replacing personnelReassigning and/or re-training employeesLost business due to absenteeismLegal FeesIncrease in long-term rates for workers comp,

property, liability, commercial auto, and health insurance


Not to Mention…• Lost productivity resulting from using less

experienced replacements and time taken for training

• Operational delays and losses resulting from the absence of the injured employees services

• Diminished company reputation• Lowered employee morale• Regulatory and enforcement actions• Inability to attract new employees and retain

existing employees


Top 7 Unsafe Driving Behaviors Drivers of large trucks & other vehicles involved in

truck crashes are 10 times more likely to be the cause of a crash than other elements like weather, road conditions, vehicle problems.

1. Speeding2. Right of way3. Drifting left of center4. Improper turning5. Passing or overtaking improperly6. Following too closely7. Backing

(National Safety Council)


SMART Goal SettingSpecific

MeasurableAchievableRealisticTimely


Some Low Cost Program Ideas…

• Establish an “Eyes on the Road” program around your offices where people would report poor driving behaviors such as following too closely or distracted driving

• Add proactive signage in and around the work area to remind drivers of their responsibilities


Distracted Driving Resources• DRIVESMARTVA.org• Distraction.gov• FMCSA.dot.gov: “Driving Tips”, videos• DOT.gov (distracted driving)• AAAfoundation.org• NYTIMES.com (search “driven to distraction”)• Cartalk.com/ddc (University of Kansas and Utah)• Focusdriven.org• Drivecam.com


Safety ProgramsResourcesNational Safety Council: www.nsc.orgNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/American Society of Safety Engineers: www.asse.orgNetwork of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS):

www.trafficsafety.orgProgramsSmith System: www.smith-system.com I Drive Safely: http://www.idrivesafely.com/VirginiaVirtual Driver: www.driverinteractive.comCoastal Video Technologies: www.coastal.com


Sample Cell Phone Policies

www.nsc.orghttp://www.safetyxchange.org/tools/sample-

company-cell-phone-policy-2http://www.csoonline.com/article/486687/sample-

cell-phone-pda-use-while-traveling-policy-http://www.utahsafetycouncil.org/assets/

factsheet/sample%20cell%20phone%20policy.pdf


Seatbelts


Occupant Protection 60% of fatal crashes – victim is not buckled

NHTSA Dec. 2007 15,147 lives saved by safety belts 35% unrestrained vehicle occupants ejected 2% of restrained occupants ejected


Wear a seatbelt You are responsible for every person in the car

when you’re driving. Make sure every passenger in the car, including

yourself, is buckled. Seatbelts when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury

to front seat passengers by 45%. If you are in a crash and are thrown from the

vehicle, you have a 75% chance of being killed.


Buckle Up Virginia When worn correctly, seat belts reduce the

risk of moderate-to-critical injury by 50%. 3 out of 4 fatal crashes occur within 25

miles of victims homes Most crashes causing death or injury occur

at speeds below 40 miles per hour.


Traffic Safety by the Numbers

During this presentation there have been:

1,420 crashes720 traffic related injuries10 traffic related fatalites1 pedestrian killed


Aggressive driving

Documents

Traffic Safety Strategies for the Workforce