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Work-related
driving accidents are the number one cause of death for employees
nationwide.
By Liese Hutchison
More than 1,400 workers in 1998 were killed while driving on the
job and traffic accidents are the leading cause of work-related
fatalities, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition,
more than 73,000 nonfatal work-related driving accidents occurred
nationwide, resulting in an average cost of $23,800 per accident.
(Workplace homicides are the second leading cause of workplace
deaths, followed by slips and falls.)
Whether an employee is driving a company vehicle or his or her
own vehicle on company business, area organizations need to be
aware that if an accident occurs during company business, the
deep pocket theory kicks in, says Bill Rieschel, loss prevention
consultant for RTW Missouri, Inc. “If an employee injures someone
while driving during company business, the injured person’s lawyer
will go after the party with the deepest pockets, and that’s the
employer,” he says.
Companies can minimize exposure to accident claims by taking a
few simple steps, Rieschel notes. First the company must determine
who is driving on company time. Is it a long haul truck driver
or a mailroom clerk going to the post office every morning or
a sales team entertaining clients? Next the company must determine
what type of controls are in place. Performing motor vehicle checks
or drug screenings on employees is one example. Providing written
policies on the use of mobile phones and drinking and driving
are other examples.
The company can also set up training programs. “Keeping the issue
of safe driving on the front burner is important,” Rieschel notes.
Training programs can range from the use of restraints to driving
speed to aggressive driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration states that road rage is the number one traffic
problem in America. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
more than 210 million vehicles are registered in the United States.
Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance (MEM), the state’s leading
workers compensation insurer, is taking a leading role on work-related
driving accidents. “By raising awareness of defensive driving
and arming employees with safety tips they can use while driving,
MEM can make a significant impact on reducing the number of driving
fatalities,” states Bob Gibson, vice president of loss prevention.
MEM says employees can avoid driving injuries by:
• Staying a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them. They
should apply their brakes gradually the instant they see a hazard
developing, so they don’t go into a spin or cause a rear-end collision.
• Keeping track of traffic by looking far down the road and keeping
their eyes moving to spot any problems before they reach them.
They should also check their mirrors frequently.
• Pulling over to use the phone, instead of making calls while
driving.
• Signaling lane changes early, as well as turns.
Liese L. Hutchison is an assistant professor in the department
of communication at Saint Louis University and a free-lance writer.
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