Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for all ages. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA):
- Every 12 minutes someone dies in a motor vehicle crash
- Every 10 seconds an injury occurs
- Every 5 seconds a crash occurs
Many of these incidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work. Employers bear the cost for injuries that occur both on and off the job. Whether you manage a fleet of vehicles, oversee a mobile sales force or simply employ commuters, by implementing a driver safety program in the workplace you can greatly reduce the risks faced by your employees and their families while protecting your company’s bottom line.
A very helpful resource is OSHA’s Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes, a joint effort by Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and OSHA. The document outlines setting up a safe driving program for employees, calculating costs of motor vehicle crashes, success stories, aggressive driving and a ten step program to minimize crash risk.
Employees are an employer’s most valuable assets. Workplace driver safety programs not only make good business sense but also are a good employee relations tool, demonstrating that employers care about their employees.