High Impact of Crashes
This year, more than 3,500 people will be killed and 350,000 will be injured on Texas streets and highways. One of your employees or someone in their family could be among them. The Texas Employer Traffic Safety Program — “Our Driving Concern” — is here to help you prevent this. Four impact sheets show how crashes affect employers and what you can do about it.
Find out why these issues are our driving concern:
Impact of Traffic Crashes on Business (PDF download)
Alcohol & Other Drug Impaired Drivers (PDF download)
Cell Phone Driven to Distraction (PDF download)
Buckling Up is Good for Business (PDF download)
View the Addressing Aggressive Driving Webinar
Title: Addressing Aggressive Driving
Presented by: James Solomon, National Safety Council
This Webinar addresses the problem of aggressive driving and signs of aggressive driving behavior. It discusses possible solutions to reduce aggressive driving on Texas roads and how to incorporate safety solutions into your workplace safety program.
Sample Aggressive Driving Policy
New White Paper on the Dangers of Hands-Free Cell Phone Use While Driving
While many people understand the increased crash risks caused by drivers texting while driving, the lack of understanding about the dangers of hands-free phones remains a challenge. Using a cell phone, hands-free or handheld, requires the brain to multitask - a process it is incapable of doing safely while driving.
To explain the limitations of the human brain as it pertains to multitasking, the National Safety Council has released a white paper, “Understanding the distracted brain: Why driving while using hands-free cell phones is risky behavior.”
Download the white paper presentation.
Reducing the Risk of Impaired Driving Among Employees & Their Families:
A Resource Guide for Employers
This 54-page guide, Reducing the Risk of Impaired Driving Among Employees & Their Families (PDF download) includes policies, programs and practices for employers to reduce the toll of substance use on their operations and costs, including safety. It addresses alcohol and other drugs including illicit, prescription and over-the-counter.
Employer Drug and Alcohol Testing Procedures
The Department of Transportation has proposed new procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. In an effort to align regulated-industry drug testing with the Department of Health and Human Services, DOT will be asked to follow HHS testing procedures and protocol requirements.
Additional proposals include:
- Testing for MDMA (also known as ecstasy)
- Lowering cutoff levels for cocaine and amphetamines
- Conducting mandatory initial testing for heroin
- Authorizing employers to use HHS-certified Instrumented Initial Test Facilities
Texas is Number One
Texas remains the nation’s number one state for lives lost due to impaired driving. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, every 20 minutes, someone is killed or hurt in a Texas crash involving alcohol. Alcohol is not the only factor to blame for crashes; drugs also impair a motorist’s judgment, depth perception, coordination and reaction time.
Texas employers can protect their employees and business by getting involved:
- Adopt strategies that encourage employees and dependents who have problems with drugs and alcohol to seek help through Employee Assistance Programs and drug-free workplace programs.
- Understand the benefits of establishing a drug-free workplace. Identifying and dealing with an employee’s substance abuse problem can save an employer thousands of dollars per year in healthcare and related costs.
- Support National Drug-Free Work Week. Educate employees on the dangers of drugs and alcohol both on and off-the-job. Explain the serious and legal consequences of being impaired.
Hidden Driving Risk
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released a report on older drivers and medication. Of the 630 respondents, 78 percent used one or more medication. Only one in four were aware of the possible dangers of driving while on medication. Research shows an increase in the number of medical conditions among older adults is associated with an increase in the number of motor-vehicle crashes.
Employers should encourage drivers of any age who are on medication to speak with a healthcare provider. Knowing how medication might interact with food or other medication can save a life on Texas roadways:
- Read the label of each medication carefully.
- Evaluate your own reaction to medication.
- Remember alcohol and medication do not mix.
See What’s New
FREE MATERIALS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES
Order innovative new payroll stuffers and information cards created special for Texas, to communicate with your employees. Payroll stuffers that look like checks and educate about the potential costs of a DWI or a crash that causes injury are surprising attention-getters when combined with a paycheck.
The die cut materials in the shapes of smashed pickup trucks, cell phones and beer cans communicate the risks of unsafe driving behaviors. In fact, do you know why we put seat belt information on the pickup truck piece? Because pickup truck drivers are less likely to wear their seat belts, and pickup trucks are common in Texas. Materials are free; only shipping charges apply. You may also download PDFs of all materials from links on their shopping cart pages.
PDF DOWNLOADS OF ALL MATERIALS
In addition to ordering print copies from the National Safety Council, you can download and share materials with employees and colleagues electronically through email and online, or print them out at your location, or include the PDF information within your own employee newsletters and communications. See a list of all materials you can easily download and deliver at the click of a button.
Are You Ready to Take the Texas Challenge?
Challenge your employees on their knowledge of safe driving. Simply sign up for the Texas Challenge. You’ll get a simple piece of code that you can place on your web site or intranet. Each week, a new Q&A and Safety Tips will automatically appear as shown below. Are you ready? Go ahead, try it ...
Get free resources to help keep your employees safe.
Print mailings are free to employers in the State of Texas. Most resources are distributed electronically. Don’t miss out!
Sign up to get mailings and our monthly e-newsletter.
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