Organization building employee safety NET’
Goal is to curtail traffic injuries, death
Many wellness professionals incorporate the usage of seatbelts into their health promotion programs, but for most of them, that is the extent of their efforts in keeping employees safe while on the road. A more comprehensive program can make a significant difference both in employee health and safety and in the corporate bottom line, asserts Kathy Lusby-Treber, executive director of Washington, DC-based Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS).
NETS, founded in 1989, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to informing employers of the dramatic costs resulting from motor vehicle crashes. NETS also assists employers in implementing policies, instituting on-site employee programs, and conducting community activities that focus on highway safety issues affecting employers’ costs. (A complete list of NETS members can be found on p. 116.)
"Our mission is to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries in the nation’s work force," Lusby-Treber says. "Traffic crashes should be a major concern for employers."
She cites a 1996 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — part of the Department Of Transportation — that showed that crashes cost employers about $55 billion a year, including medical care, legal expenses, property damage, and lost productivity. The study, called "What Do Traffic Crashes Cost?" also found that:
- One-third of that total cost resulted from off-the-job injuries to workers and their dependents.
- Motor vehicle crashes imposed an $18 billion-plus health fringe benefit bill on employers.
- Employee medical health care spending on crash injuries in 1994 was almost $9 billion; another $9 billion was spent on sick leave and life and disability insurance for crash victims.
- Off-the-job injuries cost over $14 billion, and comprised 88% of total employee health care spending on crash injuries.
Lusby-Treber further cites a 1998 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which found that 30% of the nation’s workplace deaths are due to motor vehicle crashes, and 44% of its injuries. "You wonder why people don’t pay more attention," she laments.
Impact extremely broad
An as-yet unpublished study jointly conducted by American Automobile Association and Nation-wide Insurance shows that the impact of traffic crashes is felt by nearly half the work force. "Over a 12-month period, 40% of employees are somehow impacted," notes Lusby-Treber, and for every crash there are an estimated 5.6 hours of work time lost. "This can involve auto repairs, taking oneself or a family member to the doctor, or making follow-up phone calls."
In short, in addition to the staggering costs to employers, traffic crashes are also personal tragedies for employees and their families. And in smaller companies, where each employee is vital, the impact on productivity is considerable.
Ironically, says Lusby-Treber, most crashes are preventable. "Usually when you have a crash, it is because you’ve done a series of things," she notes. "That’s why there’s been a big push by NHTSA to use the phrase traffic crashes’; they’re not accidents,’" she asserts.
NHTSA (Web site: www.nhtsa.gov) has done extensive work in this area, Lusby-Treber notes. "A lot of crashes are due to distracted driving; we are so used to multitasking in our homes and in our offices. We’re spending more and more time in our cars due to traffic congestion, and we don’t want that time to be downtime."
Education can help
The good news is that work site education programs can help reduce both injuries and costs. A study sponsored by NETS in 1992 included case studies of savings from traffic safety programs,1 noting that for every million miles of company travel, a safety program can save the company $50,000. Other studies show a savings of $85 for each child safety seat used,2 and $30 for every bicycle helmet worn.3
NETS promotes an event every September called "Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW)." During this campaign, it makes available educational materials on what it considers the five key areas of traffic safety:
- Occupant protection: seat belts, air bags, and child passenger safety.
- Impaired driving: alcohol and drug use, as well as fatigue.
- Aggressive driving.
- Sharing the road safely: This includes information on "no-zone" areas — areas where you can’t see the other vehicles — how to make turns properly, and so forth.
- Driver distraction: NETS has a brand new product that seeks to create awareness about that new and growing threat.
The DSWW kit is a "program in a box," enabling the company to implement a campaign with no additional work or research. "It has everything you need right in that box," says Lusby-Treber. "There is an activity booklet for each of the five key areas and a menu of options, such as posters and incentive items." Fact sheets on each of those areas are also included.
The kits can be purchased at any time, not just during DSWW, Lusby-Treber explains. The program can also be implemented at the most appropriate pace for your company. "For example, you may want to handle one area a month over a five-month period," she suggests. The materials are purposely not dated; in fact, a new kit is produced every year with updated ideas and activities.
There are other steps you can take to help your employees drive more safely, Lusby-Treber suggests. "You should survey your employees to ascertain the level of seat belt use in your organization," she says. "You can also bring in speakers from your state highway office."
If your organization hires drivers, a motor vehicle check is a must. "You should do a follow-up every six months or so," Lusby-Treber adds. "You should also offer driver training classes."
Above all, she says, it’s important to create a safety culture’ in your company. "You do that by involving top-level management, instituting policies, and implementing education programs," Lusby-Treber concludes.
[Editor’s note: The DSWW kits cost $25, plus $6.50 for shipping and handling. To order, call NETS at (202) 452-6005. Web site: http://www.trafficsafety.org.]
References
- Miller TR. The Cost of Injuries to Employers: A NETS Compendium. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Grant R49/CCR303675-02. Washington, DC; 1992.
- Miller TR, Demes JC, Bovbjerg RR. Child Seats: How Large Are the Benefits and Who Should Pay? Child Occupation Protection SP-986. Warrandale, PA: Society for Automotive Engineers; 1993.
- Miller TR, Douglass J, Galbraith M, et al. Costs of Head and Neck Injury and a Benefit-Cost Analysis of Bicycle Helmets. Head and Neck Injury. Warrandale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers; 1994.
Key points
- Crashes cost employers $55 billion a year in medical care, legal expenses, property damage, and lost productivity.
- Nearly 30% of workplace deaths and
44% of injuries are due to motor vehicle crashes. - Traffic safety programs can save a company $50,000 for every million miles traveled by employees.
Source
- Kathy Lusby-Treber, The Network of Employees for Traffic Safety, 1900 L St. N.W., Suite 705, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: (202) 452-6005. Fax: (202) 223-7012.
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