Message from NETS' Executive Director,
Susan Hipp
1.5 seconds. What can you do with 1.5 seconds? Not much. Unless you’re sprinting sensation Usain Bolt. He can run 15.65 meters in 1.5 seconds—that’s about 51 feet or 17 yards for us non-metric users.
1.5 seconds doesn’t seem like much time, but it’s the amount of time, on average, that it takes us to react to something. If someone throws a ball toward your face, you had better hope they’re far enough away that you have 1.5 seconds to react.
Or, if a vehicle is heading your way and about to crash into you, you had better be paying attention because when you’re in a moving vehicle, or you’re a pedestrian, or a bicyclist, 1.5 seconds can mean the difference between someone living or dying.
In the US, April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. It’s a good time to remind employees, and ourselves, that any distraction at all can mean the difference between driving safely or having a catastrophic event.
And while mobile device use is the most prevalent form of distraction while driving, there are many others: adjusting infotainment systems, eating, putting on makeup, or even your kids fighting in the backseat.
- Avoid temptation: turn off your mobile device so it’s out of sight or turn on the do-not-disturb function.
- Vary your route: take different routes when possible so routine trips don’t become mundane.
- Keep your eyes moving: make a full sweep with your eyes every 5-6 seconds to stay alert and keep your mind from wandering.
- Keep a safe following distance: maintain a 4 second following distance to give enough time to react to what’s in front of you; add more time at higher speeds.
- Clear your mind: you can’t focus on your drive if your mind is on work, family issues, or your to-do list. Take a moment before you drive to get your mind focused on driving.
- Have a plan: don’t wait until you’re driving to plan and become familiar with your route.
- Help others help themselves: make it a practice to ask someone when you call them if they’re driving; if so, call them back later. And never text someone you know to be driving.
Driving is one of the most dangerous things we do in a day. Don’t make it more dangerous by driving distracted. #JustDrive.
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Susan Hipp
Executive Director, NETS
P.S. If you want to hear a personal story of someone affected by distracted driving, watch for more information coming soon on NETS Annual Conference Keynote speakers which will include a presentation from an advocate of phone-free roads after a distracted driving crash claimed the lives of both her parents and left her partially paralyzed.
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NETS Drive Safely Work Week Distracted Driving Module
Drive Safely Work Week™ has been an annual campaign sponsored by NETS for many years. The DSWW materials include meaningful activities that reinforce the program’s safe-driving messages yet won’t take significant time away from the work day.
Read more
trafficsafety.org
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NETS 2024
Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference
October 8~11, 2024
Atlanta, Georgia
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Omni Hotel at Centennial Park
190 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Registration & Hotel Reservations Coming Soon!
~ Special Conference Room Rate will be available once reservations are open ~
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Mark Your Calendar Now!
Stay tuned for more information regarding...
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS,
NETWORKING EVENTS,
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES,
...and much more!
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Call for Conference Presentations from NETS Members
Are you interested in speaking at NETS 2024 Strength IN Numbers Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference?
If you consider yourself to be an expert on a particular topic addressing a fleet safety issue, challenge, or best practice, we invite you to submit a proposal to present.
Proposals must be submitted with our form by May 1.
Note: Becoming a speaker at NETS Strength IN Numbers Fleet Safety Benchmark Conference does not preclude payment of registration cost and presenters will still be asked to register at the full registration rate. Submitting a proposal to present does not guarantee a presentation spot. All submissions will be reviewed and submitters will be notified by September 2, 2024 if their presentation was selected.
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CALLING ALL NETS MEMBERS!
NETS Annual Strength IN Numbers Benchmark Process will be open from March 4 ~ April 19. Participation in NETS Benchmark is a benefit of membership.*
The benchmark is for all fleets, large or small, with new, developing, or mature fleet safety programs to learn best practices and compare policies, metrics and more to help improve YOUR fleet safety performance! Contact NETS Benchmark Program Lead, Ashlee Cordell, for more information.
*Not a NETS Member? Don't miss your chance to participate in the benchmark process, join NETS today!
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NETS is proud to partner with the following PLATINUM Fleet Safety Sponsors: |
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April Is Distracted Driving Awareness Month |
Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on our roads. April, which is national Distracted Driving Awareness Month, is a good time to regroup and take responsibility for the choices we make when we’re on the road.
www.nhtsa.gov
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First Partial Driving Automation Safeguard Ratings Show Industry Has Work To Do |
Only one of 14 partial driving automation systems evaluated earns an acceptable rating for its safeguards designed to prevent misuse and lapses of attention.
www.iihs.org
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WORKPLACE / HOME ROAD SAFETY
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The Quiet Killer Stalking Our Roads - Drowsy Driving
Driving while battling the urge to fall asleep is a familiar feeling for many. However, new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals the shocking lethality of drowsy driving.
Read more
newsroom.aaa.com
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10 Things Drivers Should Do in Case of an Accident |
Even the most careful driver can suddenly encounter bad luck on the road. What should drivers do when the inevitable happens? The following 10 steps will help drivers get through the immediate aftermath of a crash while helping cover their companies’ administrative and legal concerns.
www.government-fleet.com
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Top 100 Truck Bottlenecks - 2024
Since 2002, the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has collected and processed truck GPS data in support of numerous federal and state freight mobility initiatives. Utilizing an extensive database of freight truck GPS data, ATRI...
Read more
truckingresearch.org
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Cities With The Worst Drivers, Ranked
Fatal car accidents are increasing across the country, with the number of deadly crashes climbing by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2022. In some cities, there is a higher percentage of dangerous drivers on the road, putting everyone at greater risk...
Read more
www.forbes.com
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TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION |
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Why Car Safety Experts Want to Bring Back Buttons
Too many screens? Automakers must find a balance of high-tech screens and old school controls. The latest in-car control panels offer drivers a plethora of features and customization but studies suggest these may come at cost: distracted drivers.
Read more
www.popsci.com
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Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Technology for Roadway Safety
This infographic provides examples of how Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), an ITS technology, can save lives and enhance roadway safety.
Read more
www.itskrs.its.dot.gov
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Fear of Self-Driving Cars on the Rise
The results of AAA’s annual automated vehicle survey show that while there is still a high level of interest in partially-automated vehicle technology, attitudes toward fully self-driving vehicles have become increasingly apprehensive.
Read more
newsroom.aaa.com
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Red Lights Cost Us Billions, Connected Car Data a Solution?
Poorly timed traffic lights waste time and money, but are difficult to fix. A University of Michigan study uses connected cars for a simpler remedy.
Read more
www.thedrive.com
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GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
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Dangerous Speeds in Auto Ads Undermine Progress on Safety
Performance and adrenaline are commonly used to sell cars, SUVs and pickups, even as speed is implicated in more than 12,000 road deaths a year.
Read more
www.iihs.org
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Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2023 Prelim. Data
GHSA's data analysis, Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2023 Preliminary Data (January-June), projects that drivers struck and killed 3,373 people walking in the first half of 2023 – down 4% from the year before but 14% above 2019.
Read more
www.ghsa.org
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Recording Available: #RAPKnowledgeLive Session 7
Didn't catch the #RAPKnowledgeLive Session 7: Data-Driven Insights: Enhancing iRAP road safety reports with Power BI? No worries, the recording is here for you! "Turn Your Data into Life-Saving Strategies" held on Thursday March 21...
Read more
irap.org
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FIA Head of Road Safety Speaks at "Mobilising for Impact"
Luca Pascotto, Head of Road Safety and Global Advocacy at FIA, highlighted the importance of corporate engagement on road safety during a panel at Mobilising for Impact: Alliances to Achieve the UN Global Road Safety Goals.
Read more
www.fia.com
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INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY |
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23-24 April: Munich - NCAP24 World Congress
Bringing together the NCAP community worldwide as well as leaders from industry, government and civil society, NCAP24 will provide a unique opportunity for knowledge sharing and insights into the mobility challenges on the road ahead.
Read more
www.globalncap.org
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Empowering Youth for Safer Roads a Reality Across Vietnam
The innovative Big Data road safety program, AI&Me: Empowering Youth for Safer Roads, has been positively engaging youth to raise their voices for safe mobility across Vietnam.
Read more
www.aip-foundation.org
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Thailand's New Parliamentary Committee on Road Safety
The National Assembly of Thailand is setting its sights on making progress towards the country's ambitious road safety targets, receiving input and advice from the FIA Foundation and its programme partners on strategies to save lives and prevent...
Read more
www.fiafoundation.org
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Helmet Awareness Needed to Curb Kenyan Motorcycle Deaths
The rising role of motorcycles in Kenya's economy is coming at too high a cost, according to a new report by the Kenyan National Helmet Wearing Coalition, which highlights the urgent need for helmet testing and awareness in order to combat the...
Read more
www.transaid.org
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UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
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Distracted Driving Awareness Resources:
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Put the Phone Away or Pay Campaign
"Put the Phone Away or Pay" is a new tagline that launches on April 1, 2024. The campaign reminds drivers of the deadly dangers and the legal consequences of distracted driving and is supported by increased law enforcement.
Read more
www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov
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Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward. Campaign
"Don't Drive Distracted. Eyes Forward." is a year-round social norming campaign that focuses on distracted driving prevention. This page has resources that can be used to encourage drivers to focus on the road, and not drive distracted.
Read more
www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov
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NAFA Institute & Expo
The NAFA Institute & Expo is the premier professional development and networking event that brings together fleet professionals from across North America in every segment including corporate, government, public safety, utility, education, and more.
Read more
www.nafainstitute.org
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2024 NSC Spring Safety Conference & Expo
Join us in Rosemont, IL May 14-16, 2024. Registration open now!
Read more
ssce.nsc.org
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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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Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
344 Maple Ave. West #357
Vienna, VA 22180
+1.703-755-5350
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© 2024 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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