Distracted Driving Takes Center Stage In Drive Safely Work Week

Aug. 23, 2010 - PRLog -- You probably see them on the roads every day during your ride home from work; people talking on their cell phone or sending text messages while behind the wheel; drivers catching glimpses of the daily paper, putting on makeup, or having a meal while they drive.  They may even be swerving a little and look like they're about to fall asleep.  These are examples of distracted drivers, the focus of this year's "Drive Safely Work Week", which is presented by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and proudly supported by NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA).

For seven days in October, NETS presents tips for businesses on how to keep their employees safe on the road -- information that is valuable all year long.  The organization's annual Drive Safely Work Week campaign takes place this year October 4-8 with the theme "Focus... Safe Driving Is Serious Business."  This year's campaign tool kit may be downloaded for free through September 20th at www.trafficsafety.org.  After September 20th, it will be available for $19.95.

Safe driving is essential to the fleet managers who belong to NAFA, a group that collectively manages several million vehicles travelling on North American roads each day.  NAFA has lent its support to the annual campaign for the past several years through a series of articles in the Association's print and online publications, press releases, and email blasts to the Membership.  

While distracted driving is not a new issue, the increasing prevalence of in-vehicle technologies along with the growing capabilities of smart phones and other handheld devices has increased the frequency with which today's drivers are tempted to take their minds off their driving.  The situation becomes even more dangerous when drivers take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel.

Drive Safely Work Week encourages businesses to utilize a campaign toolkit to help educate employees on how to be safer drivers.  The toolkit features facts on distracted driving, interactive quizzes and tools, daily activities and communication messages, and downloadable posters for the office.   The campaign materials offer tips on how to prepare an organization for the launch of a new cell phone policy or reinforce an existing policy and how to build awareness on the issues related to distracted driving while developing strategies to minimize the danger.

NETS, which has sponsored Drive Safely Work Week since 1996, 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.

About NAFA Fleet Management Association
NAFA is the world's premier non-profit association for professionals who manage fleets of sedans, public safety vehicles, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes, and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for organizations across the globe.   NAFA is the association for the diverse vehicle fleet management profession regardless of organizational type, geographic location or fleet composition. NAFA's Full and Associate Members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance and repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 3.5 million vehicles including in excess of 1.1 million trucks of which 350 thousand are medium- and heavy-duty trucks.  For more information visit http://www.nafa.org

About Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS)
NETS is a 501(c)3 organization, a partnership between the U.S. federal government and leading companies including Abbott, AmeriFleet Transportation, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Chubb Group of Insurance,  Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Monsanto Company, and UPS.  Established in 1989, NETS is dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes both on- and off-the-job.  For more information about NETS, visit www.trafficsafety.org.