December 2017

Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts
Message from NETS' Executive Director, Joe McKillips
2017: YEAR IN REVIEW
As we count down the days remaining in 2017, I am hopeful the past year has been one of success and prosperity for your organization’s road safety program. I want to also thank our many NETS members for their support and contributions during what has been a tremendous year within the organization.

As we look back on the year, one of our early milestones was the launch of a platform enabling NETS members to directly engage with fellow road safety professionals through our new and improved NETS Road Safety Leaders Forum . With this application NETS members can now post discussion topics, ask questions and contribute input - online and in real-time. 

Additional enhancements to the NETS web-site were also made making it easier for members to access and view on-line membership benefits, including the capability to access a full online membership directory.

Also in 2017, we introduced more frequent Drive Safely Work Week campaigns focused on specific topics. In May, we introduced a campaign focused on Speed reaching an international audience in collaboration with the United Nations Global Road Safety Week. Distracted Driving was highlighted during the month of July, and an additional campaign focused on Impaired Driving was introduced in October.  

We closed the year with our 2017 STRENGTH IN NUMBERS® Annual Benchmark Conference which turned out a record number of attendees. An exciting addition to conference proceedings was the opportunity to travel to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) / Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) Vehicle Research Center (VRC) to witness a “live” car-to-car crash test and participate in numerous hands-on vehicle demonstrations.

Finally, the past year saw inclusion of our FIRST Utility Sector organization, Consolidated Edison, in joining the ranks of our Board members . This is a notable highlight and one which will enable NETS to make an even greater impact with our strategic planning and future aspirations. We also added four additional Sponsors to our members service portfolio allowing us to further expand and share road safety expertise with membership. 

Thanks again for all you do to help support the NETS mission of reducing risk and saving lives. We look forward to extending our momentum into the new year and wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season!
NETS NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
NETS' Joe McKillips Discusses Distracted Driving With ASSE

Distracted driving is a serious concern for employers that operate fleets or whose employees must drive to perform their jobs.

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www.asse.org
NETS Conference Highlighted in Fleet Financials

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) held its annual Benchmark Conference in Charlottesville, Va., on Oct. 11-12, 2017. The conference attracted a record 193 attendees.

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digital.fleetfinancials.com
LATEST ROAD SAFETY NEWS
Travelers, Put Safety First This Holiday Season

At the NTSB, we've investigated many tragic transportation accidents that could have been prevented with some planning, forethought, and good decision making. As we mark the beginning of the holiday travel season, we ...

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safetycompass.wordpress.com
Why We Can't Stop Texting and Driving

Drivers ignore the warnings and continue to use their phones for a simple reason: they're just not convinced that it's all that dangerous.

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time.com
What Are the Deadliest Times to Drive?

Safe cars, Uber and Lyft and more education on driver safety are here. But highway fatalities, including those that involve alcohol, are up, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The three-hour periods in...

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www.ocregister.com
WORKPLACE/ HOME ROAD SAFETY
NTSB: How Employers Can Make Our Roads Safer

"Safety should not be a competitive advantage." That's the message I keep in mind every time I visit groups that represent employers, like the Network of Employers for Transportation Safety (NETS) which...

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safetycompass.wordpress.com
Parking Lot Safety

​More than 50,000 crashes occur in parking lots and garage structures annually, resulting in 500 or more deaths and more than 60,000 injuries. And, around the holidays, parking lots become even more dangerous. Auto insurers report the number of...

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www.nsc.org
New York City Redistributes Space from Cars to Peds & Bikes

Traffic in New York City can be intense. In Manhattan, where the daytime population surges to four million and pedestrians can outnumber cars by an 18-to-1 margin, city officials recently conducted a months-long experiment on a single block along ...

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blog.caranddriver.com
Hardworking Drivers Key to UPS Delivering 750M Packages

Technology has made it easier than ever to buy gifts online and track the spoils of your spending spree as they make their way from retailers' warehouses to your doorstep in time for the holidays.

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www.ttnews.com
Keep Your Cool When Driving

If you are on the road a lot, either for your job or family commitments, you have probably witnessed (or been a part of) road rage.

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msue.anr.msu.edu
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Minnesota DOT Tests Driverless Shuttle Bus

With a cheery chime, a small, squarish minibus eased forward and tentatively took to the "highway" Dec. 12, advancing to a top speed of 3 miles per hour in the frigid morning air punctuated by a dash of swirling snow.

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www.ttnews.com
Trying to Bypass Anxiety on the Road to Driverless Cars

Ford Motor has set a goal of producing a self-driving car with no steering wheel and no pedals by 2021, allowing time to make sure such technology can be managed safely. General Motors may have taken a significant step forward with its Super...

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www.nytimes.com
Tesla Bans Commercial Drivers From Its Supercharger Stations

Tesla announced a policy banning commercial vehicles from using its Supercharger stations. These include taxis and vehicles used for ridesharing, freight delivery, and "government purposes." The policy applies to Tesla vehicles purchased after...

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www.businessinsider.com
GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
Road to Zero Grants

The U.S. Department of Transportation committed $1 million a year for three years to fund Safe System Innovation Grants under the Road to Zero Initiative. The National Safety Council (NSC) administers the grants. Applications are now being...

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www.nsc.org
NSC: Take Action Against Opioid Misuse

Seven out of 10 employers are directly impacted by prescription drug misuse among their workforce. To help employees understand the risks of taking opioids, the National Safety Council is offering free "Opioids: Warn Me" self-stick labels for...

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www.safetyandhealthmagazine...
Safety Belt Usage for Truck & Bus Drivers Rises to New Level

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced that safety belt usage by commercial truck and bus drivers rose to a new record level of 86 percent in 2016, compared...

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www.fmcsa.dot.gov
GHSA Announces New Research Partnership With TRB

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is pleased to announce the launch of a new forum for collaborative research through the Behavioral Traffic Safety Cooperative Research Program (BTSCRP).

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www.ghsa.org
CDC Behind the Wheel at Work: Driving During the Holidays

Along with celebration, the holidays bring increased vehicle traffic. Workers who drive as part of their job may share the roads with fatigued or impaired travelers, and in dangerous weather conditions. Many workers are themselves holiday...

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www.cdc.gov
INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY
World Day of Remembrance Toolkit 2017

World Day of Remembrance (WDoR) is an important day in the road safety calendar. Help us to make this the most powerful WDoR yet. You can take part by: Downloading the signboard and uploading a photo of yourself or someone else holding it to...

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roadsafetyngos.org
RoadSafe: Latest Euro NCAP Safety Test Results

Euro NCAP has published the safety ratings of eight new vehicles: Volvo XC60, Volkswagen T-Roc, Škoda Karoq, Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, Citroën C3 Aircross, Vauxhall Crossland X, Volkswagen Polo and Seat Arona.

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www.roadsafe.com
China Prepares for a Trillion-dollar Autonomous Driving...

China is eager to develop smart cities to cater to an autonomous-driving revolution. Nearly 300 Chinese regions and have already introduced projects for "smart cities" controlled by artificial intelligence that can be optimized for autonomous...

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www.businessinsider.com
Global Road Safety: Focus on Facts Says Award-Winning...

Hundreds of thousands of motorists use England's motorways every day and the vast majority stick to the speed limits. Safety is Highways England's first and most significant imperative. The Government has set a target to reduce the number of...

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www.roadsafe.com
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
When the chilly temperatures of winter set in, will your vehicle be ready for the cold?
If you live in a part of the country that experiences inclement weather, such as heavy rain, snow and ice, are you prepared to drive in those conditions? Planning and preventative maintenance are important year-round ... but especially when it comes to winter driving ...

To check out videos, fact sheets, and tips, go to:  NHTSA Winter Driving Tips
Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk on Superbowl Sunday
February 4, 2018

Super Bowl has become synonymous with drinking and celebrating, making roads on Super Bowl weekend dangerous. Using these materials, you can raise awareness in your community or with your officers to the heightened dangers of drunk driving on Super Bowl weekend. https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/super-bowl
Holiday Season- Drive Sober Campaign

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over - They Will See You Before You See Them
The holidays are known for being merry and bright, but they’re also known for being the deadliest season when it comes to drunk driving. Every holiday season, lives are lost due to drunk drivers.

Save the Date:
IRF Global Road Conference
November 7-9, 2018
Las Vegas, NV
For more information or to register, go to:
Save the Date:
National Safety Council Safety Conference & Expo
April 11-13, 2018
New Orleans, LA

For more information or to register, go to:
Note from the editor:
All links to stories have been tested and are active 24 hours prior to distribution; however, links may become inactive over time at the discretion of the publication source.
About NETSWork®
NETSWork is published electronically on or about the 15th of each month by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Susan Gillies, editor, and Joe McKillips, Executive Director.
Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
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