Industry Focus

If you are like most roofing contractors, you worry about job-site safety, keeping employees healthy and drug-free, and minimizing accidents.

But there is an important safety issue many contractors overlook—driver safety. Oct. 7-11 is Drive Safely Work Week, and the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) wants to make sure all employers are doing their part to educate workers about safe driving practices.

Statistics

The Federal Highway Administration reports that the number of vehicles on roads has increased nearly 40 percent since 1980 and number of miles traveled has increased 80 percent.

With more people on roads traveling further distances, NETS, a nonprofit partnership of public and private companies, says drivers increasingly are experiencing anxiety, stress and fatigue. Such feelings have contributed to the following statistics:

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the total economic cost of all motor vehicle accidents during 2000 was $230.6 billion. Alcohol-related accidents accounted for $51.1 billion; speed-related costs totaled $40.4 billion; and costs associated with drivers who failed to wear seat belts accounted for $26 billion.
  
  
• Distracted drivers contributed to between 25 percent and 50 percent of all accidents, according to NETS. These accidents make up about 4,000 accidents to 8,000 accidents daily.
  
  
• According to NHTSA, drowsy drivers cause more than 100,000 accidents per year, which result in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths.
  
  

The campaign

Because many vehicular accidents easily can be prevented, NETS has launched a campaign to help employers educate employees about safe driving habits. The campaign—drive focused. stay safe.—stresses the importance of driver safety and is geared toward reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries within the U.S. work force.

For $30, NETS is offering a kit with materials to help educate employees. The kit includes fact sheets, posters, and a list of resources and safety-awareness activities, among other things. If you are interested in the campaign or kit, contact NETS at (888) 221-0045 or visit its Web site at www.netsnational.org.

Now is a good time to remind your workers about safe driving practices. Urge them to be well-rested before driving, particularly early in the morning; drive within posted speed limits; and limit distractions, such as cellular telephone conversations.

Ambika Puniani is editor of Professional Roofing magazine and NRCA's director of communications.

To reach me, write 10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 600, Rosemont, IL 60018-5607; telephone (847) 299-9070, Ext. 255; or e-mail apuniani@nrca.net.