January 2020

Summaries of timely road safety news, events, and alerts
Message from NETS' Executive Director, Joe McKillips
Hope this finds everyone off to a great start to the New Year. I'm certain many of you are hard at work with your ambitious road safety plans and activities. Here at NETS we too are off to a fast start and are excited for the year ahead. NETS commitment to road safety remains at an all-time high as we continue our mission of helping employers reduce risk and save lives.

The recent launch of our first-ever comprehensive road safety Driven to Wellness Campaign was a great way to kick-off the year. Employee wellness represents one of the most over-looked and emerging risks posed to road safety users. I encourage everyone to look carefully through the campaign content and share throughout your organization in order to help employees develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle as a way to increase their energy, alertness, and attention to detail behind the wheel. 

Preparations are also underway to launch our annual Benchmark data collection system designed to capture employer road safety metrics and program activities. As many of you know, the NETS Strength IN Numbers ® Benchmark report represents one of the industry’s most comprehensive data collection efforts and is a vital component to any employer road safety program. Analysis of Benchmark data and related trends can not only reveal key areas of program need and improvement, but can also lead to accelerated progress and efficiency in the implementation of road safety efforts.  

Complementing the NETS Benchmark report is NETS Strength IN Numbers® annual benchmark conference . This year’s conference will once again take place in October and will be another can’t-miss event for members and non-members alike. Attendees will be able to network with employers across a variety of sectors, hear from some of the industry’s leading road safety experts, and engage directly with NETS road safety Sponsors who will be on hand to showcase some of the most recent and progressive road safety products and advancements. Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2020 NETS Conference location and date which will soon be unveiled! 

As a final item, if you’re not already a NETS member, now is a great time to join. Employers who become members during the months of January through April will benefit immediately by having the opportunity to participate in this year's annual benchmark report. I invite non-members to explore NETS membership benefits and encourage you to join today to support your journey of reducing road safety risk across your organization. 

Thanks again for your commitment to road safety and I wish everyone a safe and successful year ahead!
NETS ANNOUNCEMENTS
NETS is pleased to announce the launch of the latest insightful Drive Safely Work Week® (DSWW) road safety campaign focused on a unique and often overlooked aspect in road safety programs: wellness . Integrating wellness components into your road safety efforts can have a positive impact on your employees' overall health and driving habits.

Access the toolkit to help your employees navigate safe driving through healthy habits and lifestyles.

NETS SPONSORS

NETS is proud to partner with the following PLATINUM Fleet Safety Sponsors:

eDriving is the driver risk management partner of choice for many of the world’s largest organizations, supporting over 1,000,000 drivers in 96 countries. Over the past 23 years, eDriving’s research-validated programs have been recognized with 70+ client awards around the world.

Mobile device distractions put employees in danger and companies at risk. So why would anyone settle for safety measures that simply report what went wrong, or only work when people remember to turn them on? TRUCE Software automatically suspends distracting mobile apps and functions depending on what your employee is doing, where they are working or even the work group they are part of. You define the policy and TRUCE ensures compliance when and where it's needed. Supporting more than 100,000 subscribers and some of the largest brands worldwide, our patented technology is making workplaces everywhere safer.
LATEST ROAD SAFETY NEWS
2020's Best & Worst States to Drive in

Everyone hates being stuck in traffic. It makes you late, and causes many people’s tempers to flare up. But it’s also quite bad for your wallet – in fact, congestion cost U.S. drivers $87 billion in 2018, as well as an average of 97 hours of their...

Read more
wallethub.com
Winter Driving Tips

Visit your mechanic for a tune-up and ask them to check for leaks, badly worn hoses, or other needed parts, repairs, and replacements. NHTSA's Recalls Look-up Tool lets you enter a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to quickly learn if your...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
WORKPLACE/ HOME ROAD SAFETY
Does Marijuana Make You A Worse Driver?

Researchers found those who heavily use cannabis before the age of 16 displayed more impulsive, reckless driving. A new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that even when sober, chronic cannabis users are more...

Read more
www.benzinga.com
Not Buckling In Back Seat of Ride Shares Could Be Fatal

When Uber driver Oguzhan ­Beliren picks up passengers in his Hyundai Sonata, they almost always buckle up in the front seat, and if they don't, he reminds them to. But that's not the case in the rear.

Read more
www.washingtonpost.com
Changing Driver Behavior to Create Corporate Safety Culture

Changing driver behavior is the key to long-term success. There are five principles to changing driver behavior. It’s critical that an organization has a well-communicated policy in place that defines acceptable driving practices as well as...

Read more
www.automotive-fleet.com
Dangers of Drowsy Driving

Drive alert and stay unhurt. Learn the risks of drowsy driving and how to protect yourself. Learn the risks of drowsy driving and how to protect yourself. In an effort to reduce the number of sleep-related crashes and save lives.

Read more
www.cdc.gov
Drivers in the US Drive too Fast for the Conditions

A report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US highlights the risk of speeding. According to the report, over 112,500 people were killed in crashes on US roads between 2005 and 2014, with speeding being a major...

Read more
www.worldhighways.com
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
This AI-Powered Cockpit Knows When To Cut Off The Driver

Fully self-driving cars are still a thing of the future. But in today's laboratories, the technology ranges from commonly used cruise control systems to so much automation that humans don't need to get into a car at all.

Read more
www.forbes.com
Volkswagen Exec Admits Full Self-Driving Cars May Not Happen

After years of sunny optimism and big promises, automakers are beginning to realize just how difficult it is to make a market-ready, full self-driving car. The CEO of Volkswagen's autonomous driving division recently admitted that Level 5...

Read more
www.thedrive.com
Features on Safe Driving Apps for Parents of Teen Drivers

Sixteen- to 19-year-old drivers are nearly three times more likely than older drivers to be in a deadly crash, according to the Centers for Disease Control. There are dozens of apps designed to help teens develop safe driving practices by...

Read more
kywnewsradio.radio.com
Newer Cars Are Safer Cars

Vehicle safety has changed drastically over the years, and today newer cars are safer than ever before. Thanks to advanced engineering, in-depth research and analysis of crash data, newer vehicles are built better and have more safety features to ...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
US Transportation Secretary Announces New AV 4.0 Guidance

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week served as a platform for US Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to launch the USDOT's new guidance document on the roll out of autonomous vehicles - AV 4.0.

Read more
www.traffictechnologytoday.com
GOVERNMENT AND NON-PROFIT
AGENCY NEWS
Reductions in Roadway Fatalities in First 9 Months of 2019

The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration today released highway crash fatality data for the first 9 months of 2019, showing a reduction of 2.2% compared to the first 9 months of 2018. Under this...

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
State of Takata Air Bag Recalls

Today, NHTSA and the Independent Takata Monitor released a third report on the state of the Takata air bag recalls. In 2019, there were 7.5 million additional repairs of defective air bag inflators.

Read more
www.nhtsa.gov
Do Roundabouts Make Drivers Better or Worse?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is analyzing how certain traffic management techniques affect driver behavior. The Transportation Department component issued a solicitation for data analytics services to assist by compiling...

Read more
www.nextgov.com
INTERNATIONAL ROAD SAFETY
Vision Zero! Oslo Norway Completely Quashes Road Deaths

The capital of Norway achieved its Vision Zero goal last year with no pedestrian and cyclist fatalities — a feat achieved even as traffic deaths climbed in the opposite direction in American cities. With a population comparable to Portland...

Read more
usa.streetsblog.org
Global NCAP Results: Top 5 Safest Cars in India

The buyers evaluate the safety ratings of a vehicle and tend to go for the ones that have fared better in the crash tests. Although safety is not the only aspect that decides the popularity of a car, it does play an important role in determining...

Read more
www.indiatoday.in
Powerful German Auto Club Drops Hard Line on Speed Limit

BERLIN (AP) - Germany's biggest car club said Friday it is shifting its position on the introduction of a general speed limit on the Autobahn to "neutral." The ADAC, which counts about one in four Germans among its members, said it would refrain...

Read more
www.msn.com
Why The European Union's Roads Are The Safest In The World

As families and friends begin to celebrate New Year's Eve, safety professionals are on high alert: it is one of the most dangerous times of the year on our nation's roads. But serious injury and death from driving while under the influence of...

Read more
www.forbes.com
Dutch Study Confirms Effectiveness of Alcohol Interlock

The Dutch alcohol interlock programme was twice as effective as other sanctions at reducing recidivism, and the effects continued after participation in the scheme, according to...

Read more
etsc.eu
UPCOMING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY EVENTS
AND CAMPAIGNS
Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk on February 2, 2020

Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk on February 2, 202. Super Bowl has become synonymous with drinking and celebrating, making roads on Super Bowl weekend dangerous.

Read more
www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov
Third Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety

The Third Global Ministerial Conference (Ministerial Conference), held in the final year of the Decade of Action, aims to reach high-level consensus for continued global road safety targets and collaboration up to 2030. The Decade of Action...

Read more
www.roadsafetyngos.org
Save the Date: 2020 National Safety Council Congress & Expo

October 5-7, 2020. The NSC Congress & Expo is the world's largest annual "must attend" event for safety, health and environmental professionals. For more than 100 years, professionals have turned to this safety conference for industry-leading...

Read more
congress.nsc.org
Road to Zero Meeting and Webinar February 4, 2020

Join us for the next Road to Zero Coalition meeting from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 4, at National League of Cities, 660 N. Capitol St., NW, Washington, DC. RSVP now to help us get a headcount and share any updates you have with Road...

Read more
www.nsc.org
Safer Roads 2020 International Conference: May 12-14, 2020

Richmond, Virginia: The Safer Roads 2020 International Conference is a triennial event for roadway safety professionals and transportation officials from around the globe.

Read more
saferroads2020.atssa.com
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  www.trafficsafety.org/Membership .
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 each month by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, Susan Gillies, editor, and Joe McKillips, Executive Director.
Network of Employers for Traffic Safety
344 Maple Ave. West #357
Vienna, VA 22180
703-755-5350