In a news release Thursday, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety announced that the non-for-profit safety group in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation is offering a free toolkit to help combat distracted driving among employees, employee families, and the communities in which the company operates.
The 2011 Drive Safely Work Week toolkit is geared toward helping employers develop policies regarding mobile devices, and draw awareness to behaviors that can lead to distracted driving incidents. The safety campaign also addresses issue of the roles and responsibilities of passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians with regards to safety. The theme of the 2011 campaign is “Focus360°…Getting there safely is everyone’s business.”
Drive Safely Work Week is observed annually nationwide during the first full week of October. The toolkit, which is free and offers Web-based resources that support each campaign day’s initiatives, is undated and can be used throughout the year. The materials also urge employers to position their organization as role models of safety in the communities in which the company operates.
According to government research, every year employee crashes on and off the job cost employers approximately $60 billion. In 2010, approximately 5000 organizations took part in Drive Safely Work Week, reaching over 20 million employees.
As a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer, I encourage all motorists, whether on or off the job, to stay alert and practice safe driving habits.