I was recently chosen to chair the Distracted Driving sub-committee of the Transportation Specialty Practice of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).  I fell strongly this is an important issue.  Little did I know how much national attention this issue is generating during the past several months.

First, Harris Interactive and HealthDay conducted a poll of almost 3000 drivers and some of the results are listed below.

Second, on December 13, the National Transportation Safety Board announced a recommendation on Distracted Driving, to ban all electronic devices when driving a motor vehicle.

Adult drivers engage in activities such as texting, eating, watching videos and surfing the Internet while driving, according to a new online poll, conducted by market research firm Harris Interactive and HealthDay, a producer of health news.

In the poll, conducted between Nov. 10 and 14, 2,810 adults older than 18 who drive regularly were asked whether they have ever or have often or sometimes engaged in certain distracting activities while driving. Among the poll’s results, drivers reported performing the following behaviors:

• 86 percent ate or drank, with 57 percent doing it “often/sometimes.”
• 44 percent drove while feeling drowsy or momentarily fell asleep while driving, with 12 percent doing it “often/sometimes.”
• One-fourth drove after consuming two or more alcohol-based drinks, with 7 percent doing it “often/sometimes.”
• 41 percent set or changed their GPS, with 21 percent doing it “often/sometimes.”
• 37 percent sent or read text messages, with 18 percent doing it “often/sometimes.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a recommendation to the 50 states, and D.C., to ban driver use of all portable electronic devices in a vehicle, including hands-free devices. The NTSB’s Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman addressed the press regarding the issue and some of the specifics about the recommendation.

“According to NHTSA, more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,” said Hersman. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving. No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life.”

What do think NETS is?  A tennis game, Part of the NBA, a new reality show?  Not really, NETS stands for Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.  So, have you ever heard of NETS?  Probably not.

Do you have any employees who drive for your business or organization?   Maybe you have some employees who drive to and from work.  NETS is dedicated to improving the health and safety of employees, their families and the community by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on- and off-the-job.  Why should we be so concerned about employees who drive?  Because Motor Vehicle Collisions are the #1 cause of employee/worker death and injury in the US.  Nothing is even close. It is also the most costly injury to any company/organization according to the National Safety Council”s Injury and Facts publication.

The Board members of NETS include:

Abbott

AmeriFleet Transportation

Chubb Group of Insurance Companies

The Coca-Cola Company

Johnson & Johnson

Liberty Mutual Insurance Group

Monsanto

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

UPS

In just over a month NETS will be sponsoring National Drive Safely Work Week, October 3-7.

Focus 360° – Getting there safely is everyone’s responsibility.

The 2011 campaign is focused on the dangers of distracted driving— but not just from the position of the driver. The new materials also help consider the roles and responsibilities of being a safe passenger, pedestrian and cyclist in preventing distracted driving-related incidents. If you want more information, go to NETS website.

The official start of winter this year is not until December 21, but it won’t be long before we gets hit with an onslaught of ice, snow, and limited visibility that makes driving difficult and at times nearly impossible. To arrive at your destination safely, you’ll need to take precautions and be particularly patient during treacherous winter weather.

When weather conditions deteriorate, too many motorists skid off the road or crash because they were driving too fast for conditions. “The posted speed limits are for dry pavement, and those speeds may be hazardous when there’s ice or snow on the road. The slogan ‘Snow Means Slow’ also applies to four-wheel drive and other heavy duty vehicles, which need ample distance for stopping on slippery roads, just like other vehicles.

This time of year, visibility can be poor, and it will be much worse if you don’t remove all frost, ice and snow on your vehicle’s windows. “Clearing a small patch on a windshield or rear window is not sufficient. You must be able to see in all directions at all times to avoid crashes. Clearing snow and ice from the lights, hood and roof also helps improve visibility and safety.

To minimize the dangers of winter driving, follow these safety tips:

• Always wear your seat belt even if traveling a short distance. You and your passengers absolutely need this protection even in low speed “fender-bender” collisions.
• Watch for slippery bridge decks. They ice up quicker than adjacent pavement.
• Look farther ahead than you normally do. Loss of traction and other actions by vehicles ahead of you will alert you sooner to upcoming slippery spots and other hazards.
• Brake early and correctly. It takes much longer to stop in adverse conditions.
• Don’t pump anti-lock brakes. With anti-lock brakes, the correct braking method is to “stomp and steer.”
• Don’t be overconfident about the traction of four-wheel drive vehicles, which generally won’t stop or grip the road in curves any better than two-wheel drive vehicles.
• Avoid cutting in front of trucks, which take longer than automobiles to slow down or stop.
• Leave plenty of room for snowplows. By law, you must stay back at least 200 feet from the rear of a snowplow.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS KILLS AND INJURES MORE EMPLOYEES/WORKERS, THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF INCIDENT

More and more businesses are providing employees with laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones for speed, convenience and mobility of communication. The benefits can be enormous, particularly for business travelers. So can the security risks, if proper precautions are not taken. Before handing out these high-tech communication tools, the Better Business Bureau advises business to instruct employees how to protect the security of data that is being transmitted or stored. The following guidelines may prove helpful:

• Always keep your laptop, PDA or cell phone within sight, even when at the office.  Lock your business cell phone and PDA in a secure location when not in use.
• Keep your portable device within eyesight and easy reach when traveling. Stealing laptops at airports and from trains and restaurants has become a popular data theft technique.
• If at all possible, do not store any sensitive customer or employee data (such as bank account numbers, ATM codes, Social Security numbers and credit/debit card info) on these portable devices. If any employee (a salesperson or telecommuter, for instance) needs to take customer data, employee date or other sensitive information off business premises on a laptop, CD, flash drive or other portable device, insist and make certain that the data is encrypted.
• Password-protect access to the laptop, DA and cell phone. Also make use of passwords to protect Internet access, e-mail, voicemail and address books.
• Turn off the devices when not in use. Do not download or accept file downloads from unknown sources.
• Do not share portable communication/organization tools with others.
• Backup all data regularly and keep back-up disks and other back-up materials in a locked, secure area.

 A final word of caution from the BBB: Do not assume that laptops are the only devices that can be hacked into. Criminals can hack into cell phones and steal stored files, contacts and voice mails. Viruses can also significantly disrupt cell phones. Cell phone owners should check with their providers regularly for updates on security features to make certain they have configured their settings for maximum security.