| Motor vehicle crashes cost US employers over | | | | about in order to best accomplish your safety |
| $60 billion annually in medical costs, legal | | | | objectives. Obviously, for any program to be a |
| expenditure, property damage, and lost | | | | success, it has to be committed to, and |
| productivity. While costs by state and Industry | | | | supported by company management. Once the |
| vary, on-the-job crash injuries (fatal and non-fatal) | | | | commitment is made, consider the following |
| amount to about 6.5 percent of all crash injuries. | | | | measures as a part of your complete risk |
| As a result, the cost of workers' compensation, | | | | reduction plan: |
| Social Security benefits, health and disability | | | | 1) Setting Goals, Documenting Procedures |
| insurance continues to rise. An investment in a | | | | Consider appointing a program manager with the |
| comprehensive motor vehicle accident prevention | | | | task of overseeing the safety initiatives, including |
| program can be a winning approach to reducing | | | | vehicle add-on product evaluation and written |
| these expenses and an effective tool for helping | | | | company policies specific to vehicle safety. |
| limit your company's liability exposure. | | | | Documenting the goals, as well as the results, |
| Consider the Savings | | | | should be an integral part of the program. To |
| According to the National Highway Traffic Safety | | | | maximize results, share pertinent information with |
| Administration's report entitled "The Economic | | | | the employees that drive either a company |
| Burden of Traffic Crashes on Employers" (request | | | | owned or personal vehicle used for |
| a free copy of the 35-page report on the author's | | | | company-related work. You may wish to instigate |
| web site), the average crash costs an employer | | | | both an incentive and a disciplinary action program |
| $16,500. An employee that has an on-the-job | | | | to raise the awareness of everyone involved. |
| crash resulting in an injury, costs their employer | | | | Once you begin to realize measurable |
| $74,000. In the case of a fatality, costs often go | | | | improvements, consider rewarding individuals for |
| beyond $500,000. Additionally, off-the-job crashes | | | | their personal commitment to improving the |
| not only affect individual employees, they are | | | | company's safety. |
| costly to the company as well. The | | | | For those organizations that do not participate in |
| aforementioned NHTSA report had this to say | | | | any formal regulatory compliance, consider |
| about potential financial benefits, "Traffic safety | | | | drafting key documents of your own, such as a |
| programs are an alternative to reduce health care | | | | written driver agreement, a vehicle inspection and |
| expenses to employers without reducing the | | | | maintenance handbook, along with an accident |
| benefits offered to employees. Protecting | | | | reporting and investigation procedure. Utilizing this |
| employees from motor vehicle crash injury can | | | | documented information can help minimize further |
| be a profitable investment of time and resources". | | | | liability; be sure to amend your company policy as |
| Companies that utilize a crash avoidance program | | | | necessary to help eliminate reoccurring incidents. |
| often realize immediate benefits due to the | | | | 2) Employing Aftermarket Safety Technology |
| positive return-on-investment (ROI) from a | | | | Currently there are several aftermarket products |
| well-designed safety agenda. Consider the findings | | | | available to aid drivers in the safe operation of |
| of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company's report | | | | their vehicles, many of which are cost-effective |
| entitled "Executive Survey of Workplace Safety". | | | | and easy to install on most trucks, vans, SUV's |
| In their study, they found approximately 61 | | | | and cars. While it is beyond the scope of this |
| percent of questioned business executives think | | | | article to address the broad array of safety |
| their companies receive an ROI of $3.00 or more | | | | solutions available today, you might consider |
| for every $1.00 spent on improving worker | | | | learning more about the following:a) Sensor Based |
| safety. | | | | Obstacle Detection: Backing-up sensors utilizing |
| Protecting Valuable Assets | | | | Doppler radar technology are extremely reliable |
| Most well informed employers understand their | | | | and impervious to the affects of whether. While |
| employees are critical to the success of their | | | | these devices can be more costly than the |
| business. Showing a commitment to protecting | | | | parking aid sonar-based products, they are far |
| the safety and welfare of valuable workers can | | | | superior in performance for safety applications.b) |
| go a long way to help improve employee work | | | | Camera Based Video Systems: Today's camera |
| satisfaction and retention. If your company | | | | technology is extremely effective in giving visibility |
| happens to be a professional transportation or | | | | to blind spots that are often impossible for the |
| delivery business, the benefit can be even | | | | driver to see. A common application is to monitor |
| greater. With the extreme shortage of qualified | | | | the rear of the vehicle via a color LCD display, |
| truck drivers, focusing on employee wellbeing can | | | | helping to prevent reverse backing accidents.c) |
| aid in the reduction of a major cost and time | | | | Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Often camera |
| encumbrance...truck driver turnover. | | | | based, these devices are most effective when |
| "The costs associated with hiring and training new | | | | used on highways and long distance driving. If the |
| drivers is much better spent on furthering the | | | | driver becomes distracted or fatigued, a warning |
| safety and wellness of our employees', noted | | | | goes off if they begin to drift into another lane. |
| Mark W. Kadlec, VP of Human Resources & | | | | 3) Safety Education & Training |
| Safety at Distribution Technologies, Inc. ( | | | | Launching your program with an initial training is an |
| Headquartered in Newbury, Ohio this bulk | | | | effective way to get a running start. Take the |
| transport company is an example of a | | | | opportunity to impart your company's safety |
| professional carrier benefiting from a highly | | | | goals, employee expectations and reasons why |
| focused vehicle safety regimen. Consistently | | | | everyone can benefit through active participation. |
| recognized by the National Tank Truck Carriers | | | | Employee drivers should receive ongoing training; |
| (NTTC) for operating one of the country's safest | | | | also consider offering access to an internet based |
| fleets, DistTech has received the prestigious | | | | driver-training course. In addition, think about |
| NTTC Outstanding Performance Trophy six times. | | | | adding vehicle safety content to your company |
| Kadlec furthers, "Documenting procedures, | | | | newsletter, furthering education and continuously |
| on-going safety training and the use of advanced | | | | reminding employees that safety is not a part |
| technology allowed DistTech to improve its safety | | | | time job. |
| record for 15 consecutive years. Investing in | | | | Understanding the financial burden associated with |
| state of the art driver fatigue monitors and video | | | | motor vehicle crashes makes for a compelling |
| camera systems to alert our drivers of a | | | | case to take action to reduce the impact. It is a |
| potential collision, are just two examples of how | | | | known fact that many traffic crashes are |
| we protect our employees, our assets and our | | | | avoidable; investing in a company wide motor |
| customers." | | | | vehicle safety program can help save lives and |
| Establishing an Accident Prevention Program | | | | reduce costs, ultimately providing benefits that |
| Depending on the size and scope of your | | | | are hard to ignore. |
| organization, there are several things to think | | | | |