In 2015, more than 38,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes; some of these fatalities involved people who drive for a living.
According to Injury Facts 2016, the Council’s annual report on unintentional injuries, the three biggest causes of fatalities on the road include:
Alcohol (30.8%); Speeding (30%); Distracted driving (26%
Impaired driving is driving while drunk, drugged, drowsy and/or distracted. All of these are dangerous. All of these are preventable.
In addition to the National Safety Council, these traffic safety and health advocacy organizations are working to end impaired driving:
• Consumer Healthcare Products Association
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• National Sleep Foundation
• Recording Artists, Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving
• Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
• Students Against Destructive Decisions
Paving the Way to Safer Roads
With advancements in cell phone technology, distracted driving has been an increasing and misunderstood trend. In fact, findings from a recent NSC public opinion poll indicate 80% of drivers across America incorrectly believe that hands-free devices are safer than using a handheld phone.
Educating Teen Drivers
For teens just learning to drive, car crashes are the No. 1 cause of death – mostly due to inexperience. Graduated Driver Licensing systems are proven to reduce crashes involving teen drivers by as much as 40%, minimizing common risks such as passenger distraction, nighttime driving and cell phone use.
Find more resources to help keep teen drivers safe.
Employers are Taking Action
Millions of people drive as part of their jobs. Some are professionally trained drivers, many are not. If a job does not primarily involve driving, the employee often does not receive the same kind of safety management or engagement in driving safety that others may get.
Employers need to manage the safety of their employees on the roads, just as they manage other risks in the workplace. Start with an understanding of keeping employees safe. The NSC Journey to Safety Excellence incorporates leadership and employee engagement, risk management, safety management systems and measurement.
Defensive Driving Safety Training
Nobody knows driver safety training like the people who pioneered it more than 50 years ago. NSC created the first defensive driving course in 1964 and has been the leader in driver safety training ever since. NSC offers many options for defensive driving safety training for employees who are on the roads day in and day out. Select a Defensive Driving Course.
Off-the-job crashes account for 80% of employer crash-related health benefit costs, and half of crash-related injuries cause employees to miss work. According to Injury Facts, the average economic cost due to a crash was more than $1 million per death and more than $78,000 per nonfatal disabling injury. Employers pay significant costs associated with off-the-job crashes, including decreases in employee health, well-being, and productivity, and increases in lost time from work and insurance costs.
To prevent motor vehicle crashes involving their employees on and off the job, employers should:
- Apply principles of the Journey to Safety Excellence
- Engage employees to understand the risks they face while driving, take action to address the risks and implement measures to track progress
- Offer defensive driving courses and other training specific to the risks faced
- Offer programs for employees with alcohol or prescription or illegal drug problems
- Enact a corporate cell phone policy to prevent all cell phone use behind the wheel
- Enact a policy that requires employees to wear seat belts
- Ask NSC experts to assess your organization’s road safety systems, and help design and execute a program
