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November 2024
Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts
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Message from NETS' Executive Director,
Susan Hipp
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For those of us in the U.S., this week we gathered with loved ones, indulged in delicious feasts, and hopefully had time to reflect, give thanks, and be mindful during our Thanksgiving holiday. Here at NETS, we're grateful for our dedicated Board members and all of you as road safety professionals for the commitment you bring every day to saving lives on the world’s roadways. While we can be lazy these next few days sleeping off our turkey coma, this seems like a good time to remember we can never be lax when it comes to safe driving, and we should remind ourselves and our drivers about some of the basics of fleet safety.
**Speeding:** While the excitement of the holiday season might make you want to hurry, remember that speeding significantly increases the risk of crashes. Adhere to all speed limits and road signs. A few minutes saved is never worth the potential cost.
**Impaired Driving:** Whether it's after a festive meal or a gathering with friends, impaired driving is a serious risk. Alcohol, drugs, and even some over-the-counter medications can impair your ability to drive safely. Always have a designated driver, use ride-sharing services, or stay put until you are completely sober.
**Fatigued Driving:** The hustle and bustle of the holidays can be exhausting. Fatigue impacts your reaction time and decision-making skills. Ensure you are well-rested before starting your journey, and take breaks to avoid drowsiness. Remember, it's always better to arrive a little later than not at all.
By being mindful of these crucial safety tips, you help keep not just yourself, but everyone on the road, safe. Enjoy your celebrations this holiday season, and let's make it a safe and joyous one for all.
With thanks and gratitude, and a reminder to always drive safe.
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Susan Hipp
Executive Director, NETS
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NETS membership includes numerous value-adds at very little cost. If you're a NETS member, contact NETS today to take advantage of the following benefits included with your membership!
- Participation in NETS annual benchmark and access to the final benchmark report
- Three FREE online training sessions from National Safety Council (Fleet Essentials Course)
- NETSTalk Safety periodic Toolbox Talks on a variety of safe driving topics for your drivers
- NETS Mentor Program to be paired with an existing NETS member company as a resource for fleet safety program questions
- Driver Training opportunities from NETS' Sponsors ADTS and Smith System to include FREE online training classes and reduced rate subscriptions and other fleet safety resources
- Discounted membership rate on annual National Safety Council membership
- Access to NETS online members-only Forum to exchange best practices, share information, and get advice and answers to your fleet safety questions
- Exclusive access to the NETS Membership network to connect with colleagues from other member companies from all sectors
- Unlimited employee membership accounts: NETS membership is by company rather than individual
Not a NETS Member? Join today and take advantage of these benefits to keep your drivers safe and reduce your fleet safety program costs!
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Gearing up for NETS Annual Benchmark! | |
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One of the benefits of NETS' membership is participation in the annual benchmark process and access to the final report. The report will show how your company compares in terms of crash, injury and fatality frequencies, taking into consideration road safety policies, driver training programs, crash review practices, the “greening” of fleets, and more. The program is for all types of companies and organizations—large or small, local or global, public or private. The report will identify best practices to put in place a cost-effective, integrated, and comprehensive plan to improve your road safety performance.
To prepare for participation, NETS members should gather the following data, broken down by country:
- Total # of vehicles by vehicle type
- Total distance driven (in miles or kilometers) by vehicle type
- Total # of crashes by vehicle type
- Total # of injuries for U.S. and all other countries combined
Benchmark orientations will begin in late February and continue through March, data collection will begin soon after.
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REMINDER!
A.L.I.V.E. Consulting Health and Wellness Program for Your Drivers!
Health and wellness can have a huge impact on your drivers. By focusing on holistic wellness, stress management and resilience, peak performance, conscious leadership, and culture change, improving the physical and emotional well-being of drivers can lead to increased driver retention and driver safety.
NETS' keynote speaker at 2024 Strength IN Numbers Conference, Sergio Rojas of A.L.I.V.E. Consulting, can help your organization focus on this essential driver safety issue and is offering a promotion for 3 NETS member companies of 40% off his service fees!
Not a NETS Member? Join NETS today to receive the NETS member discount, or sign up for the program at 25% off!
Services include:
- Employee Wellness
- Driver-Specific Wellness
- Leadership Development
- Executive Health Coaching
- EQ & Communications
- EOS
Connect with Sergio at A.L.I.V.E. Consulting and sign up today via email at sergio@aliveconsulting.net or visit the website www.AliveConsulting.net
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NETS is proud to partner with the following PLATINUM Fleet Safety Sponsors: | |
Which U.S. States Are Reducing Distracted Driving? | Every second of distracted driving poses a major safety risk for drivers, passengers, and pedestrians everywhere. In 2023, US drivers spent an average of 1 minute and 38 seconds per hour handling their phone while driving. This is equal to driving over a mile on the highway blindfolded. | | | |
WORKPLACE / HOME ROAD SAFETY
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Whether You're Driving Cross-country or Across the Street, Buckle Up | Buckling up helps keep you safe and secure inside your vehicle, whereas not buckling up can result in being totally ejected from the vehicle in a crash | | | |
DCAS & U.S. DOT Volpe Announce Municipal Speeding Reduction of 64% in New Report on ISA | The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, released a comprehensive report on the nation's largest active Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) program, designed to prevent vehicles from speeding. | | | |
It's Dangerous to Be Fatigued and Get Behind the Wheel this Holiday Season | The Indiana State Police are suggesting motorists start their travel early to beat the traffic - but not too early - fatigue may contribute to more crashes than drunk driving | | | |
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
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Self-driving Cars: What Will it Look and Feel Like to Take Our Hands Off the Wheel? | Think about a car so smart that all we have to do is kick back and ride while the car drives itself. Marie Saavedra took a drive with her hands off the wheel. | | | |
Are We Heading Towards an EV Bubble? | Would you, as a consumer, choose to drive the same car your company provides you and replace it with a new one every four years? For many, the answer is a resounding "no." A guiding principle of sound financial management is to avoid significant investments in depreciating assets. | | |
Partial Automation That Allows Some Manual Steering May Help Keep Drivers Engaged | Drivers who are used to partial automation that turns off when they try to share control over the steering are less willing to steer or put their hands on the wheel in sticky situations. | | | |
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GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
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Strengthening Safety on U.S. Roadways: National Academies Report | U.S. roads have been getting more dangerous over the past decade. The rate of fatal crashes per mile traveled has been climbing, and the fastest growing type of crash are ones involving pedestrians and bicyclists. A recent National Academies report identifies ways federal agencies can lead and support efforts to make roadways safer. | | |
Lax Helmet Laws Have Killed More than 20,000 Motorcyclists, IIHS Study Shows | More than 20,000 motorcyclists who died in crashes in the U.S. since the mid-1970s would have survived if stronger helmet laws had been in place. | | | |
NHTSA Makes Changes to AEB Rule | The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has made changes to its new automatic emergency braking (AEB) rule after consideration of feedback from four OEM groups. | | | |
INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY
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EU Should Set Mandatory Safety Standards for E-Scooters, Including 20 km/h Maximum Speed | A new report published today by ETSC calls for the development of mandatory technical requirements for all e-scooters sold in the European Union to replace the current patchwork of national requirements, and voluntary standards. The standards should include a speed limiter set at 20 km/h as well as stability, minimum braking and maximum acceleration requirements, according to ETSC. | | | |
Could Truck Safety Ratings Transform Road Safety in Europe? | A new truck safety rating programme from Euro NCAP just released its first results - and they already seem to be pushing manufacturers in a safer direction. | | | |
Italy's Road Rules Reform Passes Into Law, but Some Changes Could Harm Road Safety | Italy's new highway code reform has passed the senate and will become law two weeks after publication in the country's official journal next month. While the law introduces some positive changes, it also threatens some of the most important measures for improving urban road safety. | | | |
UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
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ASSP SafetyFOCUS: February 3-7 | SafetyFOCUS is your opportunity to learn from safety experts and connect with OSH professionals in a unique way. Unlike a traditional conference, SafetyFOCUS offers a chance to step back from your day-to-day and dive deep into key safety topics. | | | |
NHTSA Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Winter Holidays Enforcement | Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is a national high-visibility enforcement drunk-driving prevention campaign that urges drivers to understand the importance of sober driving and is supported by increased law enforcement. | | | |
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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