October 3, 2003

A group of Michigan employers will gather at a unique traffic safety conference in Auburn Hills to kick off the 7^th Annual Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW), Oct. 6-10, highlighting best practices in workplace safety programs as well as providing up-to-date safety information.

The first-time Traffic Safety Symposium, Oct. 6, will be at Autoliv’s corporate headquarters, offering information on crash costs and fleet management. National traffic safety experts will take part in the conference which will also include a vehicle rollover demonstration. The symposium is being sponsored by the Michigan Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) Advisory Council.

DSWW is a national campaign sponsored by the NETS to help employers promote safe driving practices through education and policies, such mandatory safety belt use for all company vehicles. This year’s theme, "Safe Driving is Everyone’s Business. Do Your Part." asks employers to remind employees that their actions on the road affect their safety and the safety of other motorists.

"Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and injury in the workplace. Employers can play a key role in this aspect of safety through simple and cost-effective programs and policies," said Michael L. Prince, division director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). "It saves the company money in vehicle repairs, time lost from work and, most importantly, it safeguards their most important asset – their employees."

In 2001, transportation-related accidents accounted for 64 Michigan worker deaths -- 37 percent of the 175 employees fatally injured. Of those, 28 deaths were due to highway crashes.

Companies can participate in DSWW by encouraging their employees to practice safe driving techniques, endorsing safety belt use policies, and posting driver safety information on company bulletin boards and in internal publications. Several Michigan companies who have participated in DSWW have had positive results, Prince added.

"Charter Communications of Grand Rapids took part in the Drive Safely Work Week campaign and increased company belt use from 74 percent to 94 percent in less than two years," he said. "The company also implemented defensive driving courses, reporting a 30 percent decrease in crashes."

Michigan NETS is a program sponsored by OHSP. The NETS government and private sector partnership works to help Michigan companies increase profits and reduce operating costs by reducing motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

For additional information about NETS, go to www.michnets.org or contact Dan Vartanian, OHSP corporate outreach coordinator, at (517) 333-5322.

Read more press releases from the Michigan State Police.