One day, almost every driver will have to discuss the dimming driving abilities of a senior they care about. One day, every driver will be a senior, provided they have been on safe roads up to that point. As one of the tips included in this year’s Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) campaign reminds us, thinking about the future capacities of ourselves and those we care about is not being a “worry-wart.” It’s preparing for an inevitable future.
With a sudden event in the road – a car swerves your way, or an animal runs into your path, or your ability to stop has been misjudged – can you say with some degree of certainty that your eyesight is up to the task? Can you think on-the-fly to take preventative measures? Are you taking medications that could adversely affect your driving performance? One day in the near-future, autonomously-driven vehicles might extend our ability to travel far and safely. For now, we have to use common sense, critical thinking, and make very difficult but necessary decisions.
DSWW is an annual safety campaign put forth by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). The campaign, which takes place October 5-9, 2015, contains numerous tips for businesses to use to remind their employees about important safety issues. NAFA Fleet Management Association is proud to help promote the annual campaign and recommends businesses download the free materials available at www.trafficsafety.org for their employees.
DSWW will challenge individuals to ask if they are as prepared as they think they are to get behind the wheel and drive, be it during inclement weather, or heading out on a family getaway, or leaving a party, or just getting older as we all hope to enjoy doing.
Drive Safely Work Week, which has been sponsored by NETS since 1996, encourages businesses to utilize a free campaign toolkit to help educate employees on the importance of safety. This year’s campaign is entitled, “#PlanAhead – Your Key To Driving Safely.” It highlights how thinking through your actions and behaviors, all throughout your lifetime will make you a better, safer driver.
Safe driving is essential to the fleet managers who belong to NAFA, a group that collectively manages several million vehicles traveling on North American roads each day. NAFA has lent its support to the annual campaign for the past several years through a series of articles in NAFA publications such as FLEETSolutions magazine, NAFAConnection newsletter, press releases, and email blasts; as well as giving safety a prominent platform at the annual Institute & Expo conference and the creation of a committee devoted entirely to safety topics.
One day, everyone will have to think about whether we, or someone we care about, is not fully capable of driving due to our sight, our powers of cognition, or what we need to take in order to maintain our individual health. NETS and NAFA suggests this is a process worth undertaking sooner rather than later.
