July 2018 Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts

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Message from NETS' Executive Director, Joe McKillips

Road Safety Colleagues,   Greetings and I hope this finds everyone having a safe and enjoyable summer.    NETS' statistical benchmark team and partners are hard at work finalizing the review and analysis of Benchmark data submitted by NETS members earlier in the year. As many of you know, this assessment and deep dive analysis leads to a unique set of road safety outcomes which are invaluable to our member audience.  Upon its completion, a summary of key findings and correlations between crash performance and leading program initiatives will be rolled into our 2018 Strength IN Numbers® Benchmark Report and delivered to NETS members. A top-line overview of Benchmark findings will also be shared during our 2018 Strength IN Numbers® Benchmark Conference scheduled to take place in Frisco, TX October 10 th and 11 th . This year's event is sure to be another great opportunity to learn best practices and gain ideas on how you can improve your road safety program, at the only conference focused exclusively on employer road safety .   Conference registration totals are on record pace so if you have not already done so, I encourage you to register as space will be limited.  KEYNOTE speakers were announced last month, and a full list of speakers will be unveiled in early August. Don’t miss your chance to interact with other road safety professionals. Register today!   Thanks again to everyone for your commitment to road safety.   Safe Driving!

NETS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Register Now for NETS Annual Conference! Join us October 10 & 11 in Frisco, Texas to share road safety case studies, new research and emerging issues with your employer road safety peers at the NETS 2018 Annual STRENGTH IN NUMBERS® Benchmark Conference. Read more trafficsafety.org

NETS is proud to partner with the following PLATINUM Fleet Safety Sponsor: www.edriving.com eDriving’s global FLEET division serves 700,000 drivers, providing a complete continuum of award-winning risk management and training solutions with proven results and ROI. NETS Fleet Safety Sponsors

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LATEST ROAD SAFETY NEWS

The Latest on Takata Airbag Recall: What You Need to Know From Car and Driver The automotive world and beyond is buzzing about the massive airbag recall covering many millions of vehicles in the United States from nearly two dozen brands. Here's what you need to know about the problem; which vehicles... Read more ca.finance.yahoo.com

2018's Best & Worst Cities to Drive in Most Americans rely on cars to get around. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, "87 percent of daily trips take place in personal vehicles." And even with growing access to public transportation in U.S. cities, most people still... Read more wallethub.com

WORKPLACE/ HOME ROAD SAFETY

Controlling Fuel Costs as Gas Prices Rise Gasoline prices are at comparatively higher levels this year than where they were last year. Should fuel prices continue to rise, controlling fuel costs is going to become a more important factor for fleets than it already is. Seeking technologies... Read more www.automotive-fleet.com

Most People Still Don't Think Texting and Driving Dangerous One afternoon, while driving through Playa del Rey, I was following a woman in a convertible who was swerving in and out of the lane-a dangerous activity on any road, but especially here, with the narrow lanes and blind turns. Upon reaching a... Read more bigthink.com

Teen Crash Risk Highest During First 3 Months After License Teenage drivers are eight times more likely to be involved in a collision or near miss during the first three months after getting a driver's license, according to a study led by the National Institutes of Health. Read more www.wxyz.com

Top Vehicle Theft Hot Spots Named Albuquerque, New Mexico, recorded the highest rate of vehicle thefts in the U.S. in 2017 as vehicle thefts increased 4.1% across the nation, reports the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Each year, the bureau analyzes thefts reported to law... Read more www.automotive-fleet.com

New Speed Limit Changes on Nebraska Roads Causing Concerns Nebraska Department of Transportation announced new speed changes go into effect starting Thursday. The new speed limit on interstates 80, 680 and 480 in Douglas County will increase from 60 mph to 65 mph. Drivers will also see speed limit... Read more www.ketv.com

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Louisiana First State to Allow App to Replace License Blog Louisiana becomes first state to allow smartphone app to replace physical driver's license. Police officers in Louisiana will now accept digital driver's licenses through your smartphone during traffic stops, according to an... Read more download.cnet.com

Thermal Signs Near Railroad Crossings to Help Save Lives Have you noticed the new signs on the sidewalk? Idaho Operation Lifesaver and other government agencies worked to place thermal signage near railroad tracks Thursday. Six signs were placed in Idaho Falls near Elm Street and B... Read more www.eastidahonews.com

Los Angeles to Install Intelligent Traffic Signals Upgrades to traffic control systems in Los Angeles could make that city’s streets safer for more than just the folks behind the wheel. New control cabinets — the behind-the-scenes nerve center for traffic signals — will include new technology to... Read more www.govtech.com

Driverless-car Makers Want Freedom From Safety Standards The House measure would enable the Transportation secretary to grant automakers exemptions from federal motor vehicle safety standards, through a phased approach that would begin with 25,000 exemptions in the first year and increase to 100,000 by ... Read more www.latimes.com

GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT AGENCY NEWS

Road to Zero Newsletter Latest Road to Zero updates: the next Road to Zero Coalition meeting, new members, Stop on Red Week, Safety Priority Statements and more. Read more www.nsc.org

National Leaders Brainstorming Ways to Stop Drugged Driving Campaigns against drinking and driving have made the practice socially unacceptable. But when it comes to certain drugs, experts say, we have a lot of catching up to do. "The thing that's the scariest is that people who are impaired with... Read more q13fox.com

States Receive Funds to Tackle Teen Driver Safety The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL) have awarded State Highway Safety Offices in five states funding to support teen safe driving programs. This marks the eleventh year of GHSA and Ford... Read more www.ghsa.org

INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY

Japan Targeting 2020 Olympics for a Driverless Car System Reuters reports on a series of technological plans announced in a recent government strategic review for the country of Japan-the country plans to test a driverless car system on public roads sometime this year, in time for deployment at the 2020 ... Read more www.planetizen.com

Number of Children Killed or Seriously Injured Doubles Brake, national road safety and sustainable transport charity, comments on the Highways England report detailing the Strategic Road Network's (SRN) casualty performance for 2016 showing that the number of children killed or seriously injured on... Read more www.brake.org.uk

Truck Driver Charged in Canada Hockey Bus Crash With 16 Dead The driver of a semi-trailer that collided with a bus in an April crash that killed 16 people involved with a Canadian youth hockey team was arrested on criminal charges Friday, authorities said. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said... Read more www.denverpost.com

Canadian Government Passes New Impaired Driving Laws Not long after recreational cannabis legalization received royal assent, another bill was passed by the Canadian government. Bill C-46 goes hand-in-hand with legalization, giving police forces more tools and liberty to apprehend drivers impaired... Read more victoriabuzz.com

Road Fatalities Per Million Population in European Union According to the EU road fatalities infographic of the NTUA Road Safety Observatory, twelve countries have a better performance than the EU average, namely Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, Estonia, Germany, Finland, Spain, Malta,... Read more www.nrso.ntua.gr

ESRA Report on Road Users' Safety Attitudes Worldwide, 2018 The Updated Main Report (2017 edition) of the European Survey of Road users' safety Attitudes (ESRA) has been published containing the results from the survey in 38 countries, including 13 Latin America countries, with the active contribution of... Read more www.nrso.ntua.gr

UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS AND CAMPAIGNS

GHSA 2018 Annual Meeting Registration Open Registration is now open for GHSA's 2018 Annual Meeting, "Joining Forces to Get to Zero: Partnerships in Traffic Safety", August 25-29, 2018. Read more www.ghsa.org

2018 National Safety Council Congress & Expo Register now to attend the world's largest annual safety event. Read more congress.nsc.org

National Teen Driver Safety Week October 21 - 27, 2018 This week and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a passenger car, truck, or SUV. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and number of passengers. For more information go to: https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/teen-safety/national-teen-driver-safety-week

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over National Mobilization August 15 - September 3, 2018 The 2018 national enforcement mobilization "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" goes into effect across the country from August 15 to September 3, 2018. One of the deadliest and most often committed - yet preventable - of crimes (drunk driving), has become a serious safety epidemic in our country. For more information, go to: https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over-peak-enforcement-kit/national

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  www.trafficsafety.org/Membership .

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 each month by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Susan Gillies, editor, and Joe McKillips, Executive Director.

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