One in five on-the-job fatalities in 2013 were driving-related

More than one in five workers killed on-the-job in the United States last year died in a driving-related accident, according to newly released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Such incidents claimed the lives of 991 Americans in 2013. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that about three employees die on the road every day, illustrating the need for an increased focus on defensive driving safety training in the workplace.
“Risk of work-related motor vehicle crashes cuts across all industries and occupations,” says the CDC. “Workers who drive on the job may be ‘professional’ drivers whose primary job is to transport freight or passengers. Many other workers spend a substantial part of the work day driving a vehicle owned or leased by their employer, or a personal vehicle.”
Such employees who don’t identify as “professional” drivers but do spend at least some part of their work day behind-the-wheel may be at particular risk of injury or death, according to the CDC. Businesses that run big buses or trucks must comply with stringent federal regulations. However, companies whose employees use smaller vehicles are not subject to compliance checks at the federal level. Therefore, they must be extra-vigilant in setting and meeting their own safety standards.
If you are a manager whose employees get behind-the-wheel at any point while on-the-clock, the CDC recommends purchasing a defensive driving course, such as the variety of options offered by Mastery Technologies. Such online courses are inexpensive and easy-to-use, allowing supervisors and workers to access materials at their convenience.
The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) reports that a traffic crash victim dies every 12 minutes. An employee training course is a worthwhile investment that can help prevent your workers from becoming part of that statistic.