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January 2025
Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts
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Message from NETS' Executive Director,
Susan Hipp
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Road safety is not a competitive advantage. You’ve likely heard the phrase, all for one and one for all. In other words, we’re all in this together. It’s a phrase that expresses the idea of mutual loyalty and cooperation among a group of people.
So how does this apply to road safety?
By fostering an environment where collaboration is prioritized, we can develop more effective safety strategies that genuinely make a difference. Our combined efforts will lead to a safer future for everyone on the road.
Employers especially have the power to transform road safety and make a significant impact on saving lives while reducing injuries on the world’s roadways. Did you know 85% of the U.S. population drives to work? And 400,000 road fatalities in the world are attributed to workers?
Employers can:
- Create a culture of safety that extends beyond your individual company and focuses on the communities where your drivers operate.
- Invest in comprehensive training programs for your drivers.
- Adopt advanced vehicle safety technologies.
- Ensure safe driving policies are in place and are followed.
- Share best practices with others in your own sector, or even outside your sector, to help other organizations improve their fleet safety programs.
At NETS, we work to invite open dialogue and encourage the sharing of success stories and innovative practices that have worked for our members. Together, we are a collaborative network dedicated to road safety, ensuring that our collective commitment leads to fewer crashes and a brighter future for all road users. Whether you join NETS or use the multitude of other fleet safety resources that are available, you don’t have to do this alone. We’re all in this together and together, we can make a difference in saving lives.
Drive Safe!
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Susan Hipp
Executive Director, NETS
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SAVE THE DATE!
NETS 2025 Strength IN Numbers® Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference
October 6~9, 2025
Minneapolis, Minnesota
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USIC’s Tom Karnowski Named NETS Board Vice Chairperson for 2025 and Board Chairperson Starting 2026
NETS is pleased to announce the election of Tom Karnowski, Vice President of Environment, Health and Safety for USIC, a nationwide provider of underground utility locating and advanced infrastructure services, as NETS Board Vice Chairperson for 2025. USIC has been a NETS Board Member company since 2022. Following the Vice Chair position, Karnowski will then assume the role of NETS Board Chairperson starting in 2026 for a two-year term.
“USIC is proud to be a part of the NETS organization! We incorporate what we learn from NETS into our defensive driving strategies which helps drive our continued progress in eliminating at-risk behaviors. It is an honor to continue working with NETS and its partners to identify and implement innovative and effective methods for preventing traffic crashes and making our roadways safer,” said Karnowski.
“USIC has a strong commitment to fleet safety and has been an outstanding supporter of NETS and our mission of advancing road safety. I am grateful for their ongoing commitment to NETS and am delighted that Tom Karnowski will continue that tradition in the role of Board Vice Chair and Chair. Tom brings energy and experience to NETS and understands the important role employers can play in making our roads safer. I know he will continue to lead NETS’ efforts during the next several years to make road safety an employer priority—one that focuses on all employees, their families, and the communities where employees live and work,” said Susan Hipp, Executive Director of NETS.
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4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety | Join NETS at the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety is taking place in Marrakech, Morocco, on February 18 - 20, 2025. The purpose of the conference is to assess the progress made in implementing the Global Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 during its initial five-year period, to generate support for the new vision of safe and sustainable mobility. NETS will be hosting a side event during the conference on Private Sector Involvement on Road Safety. | | | |
NETS is proud to partner with the following PLATINUM Fleet Safety Sponsors: | |
Working in Roadways Exposes Workers to Hazards of Moving Vehicles and Equipment | Work zones bring different types of workers together, leading to unique safety and health considerations. For example, a work zone may have utility workers, roadway construction workers, highway maintenance workers, and/or landscapers working alongside traffic detail police officers supporting traffic control. | |
Why Is Defensive Driving So Important? | |
Driving often feels like second nature. You hop in your car, start the engine, and head off without a second thought. But every time you’re on the road, you’re taking on a big responsibility—not just for your safety but for everyone around you. That’s where defensive driving comes into play. | |
January 2025 Fuel Price Update: Surges Hit a Pause | How do gas prices in the U.S. compare to previous weeks? The average price of gas per gallon sees slight changes across the nation. See what's contributing to the halt. | | | |
WORKPLACE / HOME ROAD SAFETY
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Fleet Managers on Retention, Compliance, AI, and Safety: Challenges and Wins in Their Own Words | Fleet managers have a tough job of creating safer and more efficient operations. From telematics and AI to safety and accountability, their approaches are as diverse as the fleets they manage. | | | |
What If We Thought of Our Daily Commute as a Team Sport? | Better street design, safer cars, and driver education programs offer promising paths to safer roads, but their success still depends on something more fundamental-the decisions we make behind the wheel. | | | |
Fast-Growing Jobs in the US: Where Does Fleet Fit? | LinkedIn recently released research tracking the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. over the past three years. To create its annual #jobsontherise list, LinkedIn researchers examined millions of jobs started by LinkedIn members from Jan. 1, 2022, to July 31, 2024, to calculate a growth rate for each job title. | | | |
Mental Health Can Impact Your Drivers Too | Construction has one of the highest rates of death by suicide of all industries in the United States, about four times higher than the general population. Check out this video and NETS' Driven to Wellness website for resources to help address mental health issues with your drivers. Driven to Wellness Campaign – Network of Employers for Traffic Safety | | | |
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
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Showcased at NETS Annual Conference Last Year, This Stealth Tech Is Making Driving Safer with a Software Tweak | A simple software system called H.E.L.P. now alerts drivers and emergency responders about stranded cars, preventing roadside tragedy and increasing driving safety | | | |
Amazon Announces Their Largest Order To Date of Electric Heavy Goods Vehicles | Amazon scheduled their largest order with over 200 eActros 600 zero-exhaust emission trucks from Mercedes-Benz, the company announces today. | | | |
New Verizon Connect Tools Aim to Reduce Blind Spots, Cut Accident Risks | Verizon Connect recently launched its new Extended View Cameras and Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) to enhance commercial fleet safety, driver performance, and operational efficiency. The Extended View Cameras deliver near-360-degree visibility with rear, side, and cargo cameras. | | | |
In-car Speed Limiter Devices Considered as Option to Tackle Rise in Washington traffic Deaths | House Bill 1596 aims to require drivers with histories of excessive speeding to install speed limiters in their cars. | | | |
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GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
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Sean Duffy Confirmed As Transportation Secretary | Sean Duffy has been appointed as the new transportation secretary after the Senate confirmed his nomination with a 77-22 vote on Jan. 28. | | | |
NHTSA Proposes Exemptions Tailored for Autonomous Vehicles | NHTSA's proposed rulemaking is a major development for federal AV regulation. The proposed rule would implement AV STEP, a voluntary program for vehicles with advanced driving... | | | |
INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY
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First African Motorcycle Helmet Testing Facility Launched in Rwanda, Supported by the FIA Foundation | Rwanda has taken a significant step to reduce motorcycle deaths and head injuries with the introduction of the first African helmet testing facility, supported by the FIA Foundation. | | | |
Digital Technology to Help Prevent Accidents in Africa | |
Despite the promise of digital revolution, road safety in Africa remains a pressing challenge. Thousands of lives are lost or affected every year due to road accidents – many of which could be prevented with better data, smarter technology and more innovative solutions. | |
Trust in ADAS Soars as Automated Vehicles Approach UK Roads | Confidence in Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technology is growing, according to a new survey by Venson Automotive Solutions. | | | |
UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
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2025 NSC Spring Safety Conference & Expo and HOP Summit: April 22-25 | New this year, the 2025 NSC Spring Safety Conference & Expo (SSCE) is partnering with the NSC Networks Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) Summit. The HOP Summit is an event for safety and health professionals, workers, and leaders at all stages of their human and organizational performance journey. | | | |
2025 NAFA Institute & Expo | |
Empowering Women in Fleet:
Join us this March!
| The automotive and fleet industries are transforming, and women are at the heart of this change. As we approach Inspiring Women in Fleet Week this March, we’re calling on fleet leaders, marketing professionals, and decision-makers to join us in driving this movement forward. | | | |
Do you have a particularly successful road safety example to share? NETS Members are encouraged to share best practices, ask questions or contribute their expertise to the NETS Road Safety Leaders Forum, an online discussion forum exclusively for NETS Members and Sponsors. Not yet a member? Check out the benefits at https://trafficsafety.org/membership-info/.
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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.
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About NETSWork®
NETSWork is published electronically each month by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.
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© 2025 Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
NETS is registered by the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(C)3 non-profit organization
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