Drive Safely to Work Week: October 6-10, 2014

Did you know that the leading cause of death on the job is motor vehicle crashes? That is why each year, during the first week of October, The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) draws our attention to the tragedies that occur during commuting times, while driving for work purposes, and even after we clock out and head home. This year, Drive Safely to Work Week focuses on the “corporate culture” aspects of safe driving: that the best companies are those that encourage the best driving practices.

Driving safely should be common sense; yet, we’ve all looked over at a stoplight and have watched another driver reading or texting while driving or seemingly intoxicated. Some drivers refuse to wear seat belts, while others may be more interested in their phone conversation than staying in their own lane. Because we all have cars, and we are all potential victims of unsafe drivers, we should all remember the following rules of the road:

• Be alert: no distractions like mobile phones or reading should be in your hand when you are driving. In the time it takes to read a short text, your attention has been off the road for the full length of a football field.
• Buckle up: a seat belt will save your life.
• Stay awake: if you are drowsy, then pull over until you are better rested.
• Drive sober: drinking and driving do not mix, and you could end up in jail, with an ignition interlock device, or worse.

Whether you are a morning commuter, or you drive a commercial vehicle for a living, the reminders from Drive Safely to Work Week are important for your safety, and the safety of others on the road. During Drive Safely to Work Week, October 6 – 10, 2014, make an effort to keep your own habits in check on the road, and remind others that lives are at risk every day because of distracted driving, drunk driving and other unsafe driving habits.