Don’t Neglect Road Safety Training

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As you or your technicians rack up the miles on your service vehicles this spring, you risk becoming an accident statistic. After many years of declining motor vehicle fatalities, that risk is growing again.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration estimates that more than 26,000 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of 2015, compared to 23,796 fatalities during the same period of 2014. The estimated increase of more than nine percent follows years of gradual declines—more than 22 percent from 2000 to 2014, reports Business and Legal Resources: Safety.

Because of the increase in traffic fatalities, the NHTSA says it’s taking on new initiatives and addressing persistent issues like drunk driving and failure to wear seat belts.

Consider these ideas to raise awareness about road safety at your company:

  • Hold a meeting with all employees to present the company’s most recent statistics and review the driving safety policy.
  • Get workers’ attention about the risks of reckless and distracted driving, even if it requires sharing grisly stories or videos.
  • Remind employees that following the rules of the road is about doing the right thing, even when someone else isn’t watching.
  • If you operate a fleet, review your driver training to make sure it addresses any recent changes in the law and your specific risks.

Business and Legal Resources Safety section is offering “50 Tips For More-Effective Safety Training,” a 75-page document of free safety information broken down into three training sections.