September 2017

Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts
Message from NETS' Executive Director, Joe McKillips
Year-end is always a busy time! The next few months promise to be eventful for NETS as well, with a variety of exciting products and services for members and non-members alike.

Earlier this month, we launched the annual NETS membership survey to capture member feedback on current and future NETS products and services. This year, we expanded the survey to capture input on international needs from members whose operations extend outside the U.S. NETS members were sent an email invitation to take the survey. If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to share your insights so we can shape future NETS member products and services to meet your needs.

The Annual NETS conference is less than a month away, October 11th-12th in Charlottesville, Virginia. Network with your peers in road safety and learn best practices from the best in the industry. And new this year, we’re taking conference attendees on a field trip to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Vehicle Research Center (VRC) where we will witness a “live” car-to-car crash test and participate in numerous hands-on vehicle safety demonstrations. This is a unique opportunity for anyone in the field of road safety and one you do not want to miss! If you have not registered yet, click here

In early October, we’ll launch NETS’ third Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) campaign of the year. This module will focus on the topic of Impaired Driving – a topic that impacts 2 out of 3 people during their lifetime. Use these materials to get this important message out to your employees that they can prevent impaired driving by being aware of the facts and making better choices. 

Safe driving!
NETS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Next DSWW Campaign Coming Soon: Impaired Driving

The next Drive Safely Work Week™ (DSWW) campaign focusing on Impaired Driving will be released soon. Instead of a weeklong campaign only in October, the structure has been updated this year to campaigns occurring more frequently throughout the year.

Read more
trafficsafety.org
LATEST ROAD SAFETY NEWS
IIHS: Crash-avoidance Technologies Reduce Crash Deaths

Lane departure warnings and blind spot detection technologies are helping to prevent motor vehicle crashes and related injuries, according to new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Read more
www.safetyandhealthmagazine...
Hurricane Irma Could Wipe out 400,000 Vehicles

As many as 400,000 vehicles in Florida will need to be replaced as a result of Hurricane Irma, including as many as 11,000 fleet vehicles, according to Cox Automotive.

Read more
www.automotive-fleet.com
U.S. House Unanimously Approves Self-driving Car Measure

The U.S. House on Wednesday unanimously approved a sweeping proposal to speed the deployment of self-driving cars without human controls and bar states from blocking autonomous vehicles. "With this legislation, innovation can...

Read more
www.autonews.com
WORKPLACE/ HOME ROAD SAFETY
Rise in On-the-Job Motor Vehicle Deaths Spurs Concerns

Roadway accidents are the leading cause of on-the-job deaths in the U.S., but the safety issue remains outside the jurisdiction of the nation's primary workplace safety agency-the Occupational Safety...

Read more
www.bna.com
Medical Groups Denounce Withdrawal of Sleep Apnea Rulemaking

Three medical professional groups have expressed disapproval over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's and the Federal Railroad Administration's Aug. 4 decision to withdraw a proposed rule on obstructive sleep apnea.

Read more
www.safetyandhealthmagazine...
All Wheel Drive vs. Four Wheel Drive for Your Fleet

Technology has enhanced both the traditional four-wheel-drive (4WD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) systems so they hardly compare to those of just five model-years ago. Whether a 4WD or AWD vehicle will be better...

Read more
www.automotive-fleet.com

NAFA Report: Drugged Driving Carries Significant Liability 

NAFA Fleet Management Association releases a report in its September 2017 issue of FLEETSolutions magazine identifying the significant liability faced by organizations whose employees engaged in drugged driving. Most notably, employers can be...

Read More (Originally published in NAFA’s FLEETSolutions magazine.)
www.nafa.org

Parked Vehicle Damage Leads Fleet Accidents

With transportation-related accidents recently reported as accounting for 41% of work-related fatalities in 2015, it's easy to understand why fleets have continued to take driver safety seriously. Further still, data reported by the National...

Read more
www.automotive-fleet.com
Distracted Driving Study: Most Dangerous Roads Near Schools

Children are especially at risk of distracted drivers because busy roads are near their schools. A new study pinpoints the nation's five worst counties for those kinds of drivers as New York, Kings and Queens counties in New York state, San...

Read more
www.cbsnews.com
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
Can Drivers Overly Rely on Driver Assistance Tech?

Some safety advocates worry that over-dependence on advanced driver assistance technologies may have unwanted consequences for those motorists who let their guard down: diminishing focus and driving skills. Recent research on how drivers interact...

Read more
www.automotive-fleet.com
Now AI Will Know if You're Texting While Driving

One of the frequent things you see the drivers do is texting while driving, which is not only annoying but also highly dangerous. There are so many laws, public service announcements, and the police initiatives to prevent this potentially risky...

Read more
thetechnews.com
Here's When Having a Self-Driving Car Will Be a Normal Thing

The self-driving car revolution is gaining speed-and will change our everyday lives in ways big and small. In recent weeks, announcements from technology companies, governments, and carmakers have accelerated the inevitable transition to safer,...

Read more
fortune.com
Is the Flying Car Ready for Takeoff?

A little white winged pod lifts itself off the ground and glides off into the distance. The whole movement looks effortless. It's like watching Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder - except we're in a nondescript airfield in Germany, not the planet Tatooine.

Read more
www.theguardian.com
GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
The Road to Zero Deaths From Motor Vehicle Crashes

Every day, nearly 100 people die violently on roadways in the United States, and more than 6500 are injured. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 16 and 24 years and the second leading cause for children ...

Read more
jamanetwork.com
NSC Statement on NTSB Investigation Report Into Tesla Crash

The National Safety Council was not surprised that the NTSB investigation into the 2016 fatal Tesla crash found "driver error" and an "over-reliance on vehicle automation" to be the probable causes of the crash. Driver error leads to 94 percent of...

Read more
www.nsc.org
U.S. DOT Releases New Automated Driving Systems Guidance

The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today released new federal guidance for Automated Driving Systems (ADS): A Vision for Safety 2.0. This is the latest guidance for...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
National Roadside Study of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers

This was a nationally representative study to estimate the prevalence of alcohol and other drug use among drivers. Drugs studied included...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
Impact of Legalization and Decriminalization of Marijuana

The legalization and decriminalization of marijuana has received a great deal of media attention across the country, and many States are considering whether they should legalize marijuana for recreational or medical use. States need information...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY
eDriving Named Voting Member of Prestigious Global Road...

eDriving SM, the largest global provider of driver risk management and driver training solutions, has been named a "Private Sector Member" of the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP), a prestigious international road safety organization...

Read more
markets.businessinsider.com
Campaign Launched to Prevent Vehicle Workplace Accidents

SINGAPORE: A campaign that aims to prevent vehicle-related accidents in the workplace was launched by the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council on Thursday (Sep 14). The Drive...

Read more
www.channelnewsasia.com
Study: Mortality From Road Crashes in 183 Countries

This study, from The University of Michigan, Sustainable Worldwide Transportation, compared fatalities from road crashes with fatalities from three leading causes of death and from all causes.

Read more
www.umich.edu
Powerful New Partnership Launched Between iRAP and ITF

The ITF/iRAP MOU promotes policies that support the achievement of transport-related UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The five-year agreement focuses on contributing to the halving of road deaths and injuries by 2020 (SDG 3.6); making...

Read more
www.roadsafe.com
UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
Child Passenger Safety Week
September 23, 2017: National Seat Check Saturday

Car crashes are a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 13. Many times, deaths and injuries can be prevented by proper use of car seats, boosters and seat belts.

For more information, go to:  Child Passenger Safety Week
Halloween Drunk Driving Prevention Campaign:
October 31, 2017

October 15 - 24, 2017
National Teen Driver Safety Week
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 19- year olds in the United States. In fact, in 2014 there were 2,679 teen (15 to 19) passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes and an estimated 123,000 teens were injured. Parents need to take the time to talk with their kids about the many dangers of driving. Those dangers include alcohol, lack of seat belt use, distracted driving, speeding, and extra passengers. 

For more information, go to:  National Teen Driver Safety Week
2017 National Safety Council Congress & Expo

The 2017 NSC Congress & Expo is the world’s largest annual event dedicated to workplace safety, September 23-29 in Indianapolis.

Read more
congress.nsc.org
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.
About NETSWork®
NETSWork is published electronically on or about the 15th of each month by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Susan Gillies, editor, and Joe McKillips, Executive Director.
Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
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