Safety Meets Fun
As summer winds down, many of us look forward to one last celebration. Labor Day weekend is a time for parades, pool parties and backyard barbecues. It’s also a time when safety risks spike, especially on the roads.
Unfortunately, impaired driving and distraction often turn joyful moments into tragic ones. As safety leaders, this is our moment to speak up and remind our teams: Fun and safety can go hand in hand.
The Stakes Are High
- In Ohio, more than 370 people died in alcohol-related crashes last year, according to the Ohio State Patrol.
- Nationally, over Labor Day weekend in 2023, 36% of crash fatalities involved an impaired driver, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Among drivers age 18-34 killed during the holiday period, 45% were drunk.
These aren’t just numbers – they represent lives lost and families forever changed. And when an employee or their loved one is involved, the impact ripples through your entire organization.
Smart Choices Save Lives
Here are four simple but powerful reminders to share with your teams:
- Drive distraction-free. Set your GPS, silence your phone and queue up your playlist before hitting the road.
- Slow down. Speeding is a contributing factor in more than one-quarter of all traffic deaths.
- Designate a sober driver. Impairment starts with the first drink. If it’s your turn to drive, take it seriously.
- Buckle up. Seat belts save lives. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained, especially children.
Why It Matters to Your Business
Traffic crashes don’t just hurt people – they hurt productivity, morale and your bottom line. Medical costs, liability, lost time and property damage can all add up quickly. But the emotional toll of losing a coworker or friend? That’s immeasurable.
What Can You Do?
Use these free resources to promote safe driving:
- Safe Driving Toolkit, stocked with posters, fact sheets and social media graphics
- Workplace Impairment Training, delivered online or in person
- Talking points for a safety meeting and ready-made social media graphics you can use on your channels from NHTSA’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign
Let Safety Shine Beyond Summer
A summer tan fades, but a strong safety culture lasts. Use this season’s final celebration as an opportunity to reinforce your commitment to safe choices – on and off the clock.
Kick Off Safely
In two weeks, a new football season kicks off. For many, the excitement is building to a fever pitch. Whether you’re tailgating at the stadium, watching the game at a friend’s house or catching the action at your favorite sports bar, alcohol is likely part of the celebration.
When the party ends and it’s time to head home, the choices we make matter more than ever.
The Rise of ‘Grab-and-Go’ Alcohol
You’ve probably noticed ice-cold beers by the gas station register, drive-through daiquiris, cocktails-to-go. Convenience is everywhere – and so is temptation.
It’s easy to think, “It’s just one drink,” especially if you’re close to home or wrapping up a long day. But even one drink can impair your judgment, slow your reflexes and compromise your ability to drive safely.
Game Day Doesn’t Mean Safety Takes a Timeout
Football weekends often mean early tailgates, long drive times and late-night celebrations. That increases the opportunity for alcohol to enter the mix — and for safety to slip through the cracks.
Here’s how to keep your team safe:
- Plan ahead. If you’re drinking, arrange a sober ride before the first kickoff.
- Designate a driver. Rotate the responsibility among friends or coworkers.
- Speak up. If someone’s about to drive impaired, step in. You could save a life.
- Watch for workplace impact. Alcohol is a factor in 39% of work-related traffic crashes, according to report produced by OSHA, NHTSA and the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety.
The Real Cost of a DUI
Driving under the influence isn’t just dangerous – it’s expensive. A DUI can cost thousands in fines, legal fees and lost work time. Worse, it can cost lives. One person is killed every 39 minutes in a drunk-driving crash in the U.S., according to NHTSA.
And here’s a sobering stat: Three in 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime.
Make the Right Call
Enjoy the game, fire up the grill, cheer for your team, but don’t let a drink turn into a disaster. Life is full of choices. Make the one that keeps you, your coworkers and your family and friends safe.
New Tips for Older Drivers
Is your workforce aging? You’re not alone. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 38 million U.S. workers are 55 or older – and that number is growing. In fact, one in five adults over 65 are still working, and more than 11 million workers aged 65+ are active in the workforce today, according to the Pew Research Center.
With age comes experience – but also new safety considerations, especially behind the wheel.
Why Older Driver Safety Matters
Older adults are keeping their licenses longer and driving more miles than ever. While they tend to take fewer risks on the road, they’re also more likely to be seriously injured or killed in a crash due to age-related vulnerabilities.
Common age-related changes that can affect driving:
- Declining vision or hearing
- Slower reaction times
- Health conditions or medications that impair alertness
What Employers Can Do
Workplace safety doesn’t stop at the job site – safety extends to the commute there and back. Here’s how you can support older drivers in your workforce:
Create and Share a 55+ Driver Safety Checklist
Encourage employees to:
- Get annual physicals and eye exams
- Review medications with a doctor or pharmacist to avoid side effects like drowsiness or dizziness
- Drive distraction-free – silence phones, set GPS devices before driving and avoid eating or drinking behind the wheel
Tap Into Free Resources
On its Older Drivers safety page, the Ohio Traffic Safety Office offers links to a variety of free resources:
- CarFit, developed by American Society on Aging in collaboration with AAA, AARP and American Occupational Therapy Association, helps drivers check how well their vehicles “fit” them; offers online training, do-it-yourself safety tips (like using cushions and pool noodles to help improve posture and increase visibility) and simple tools
- A guide to Older Driver Safety Awareness Week (Dec. 1-5)
- Fit to Drive (video)
- Ohio Department of Aging tips for older driver safety and alternatives to driving
- Ohio Department of Transportation Stay Fit to Drive safety campaign for older drivers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a variety of free resources on its Older Drivers page, too:
- Crash data and safety facts
- Guidance for caregivers
- Videos and tips on how medical conditions affect driving
Looking Ahead
By 2034, older adults will outnumber children in the U.S. Let’s make sure our safety policies evolve with our workforce. Just like we adapt homes for aging, we can adapt our workplaces – and our driving habits – to keep to everyone safe behind the wheel.
Safety in Action
Join us during Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 21-27, as we work to create safer roads and reinforce the importance of child occupant protection. In 2023, more than 550 children under age 13 were killed in crashes across the U.S., according to data analyzed by the National Safety Council. Almost 200 were unrestrained, and many others were improperly restrained at the time of the crash.
New! Add Car Seat Basics to Your Training Portfolio
A newly updated version of Car Seat Basics is now available – and it’s a great addition to your workplace training lineup. This free online course helps users build a better understanding of rear-facing and forward-facing car seat use, booster seats and seat belts. The training is available in two versions:
- Car Seat Basics– for a general audience
- Car Seat Basics for Law Enforcement– approved for training credit in a number of U.S. states
The course takes about 60 minutes and can be completed all at once or in short increments. A certificate of completion is provided, and group delivery is available for all general education courses in the Child Passenger Safety Learning Portal.
Three More Ways to Participate
Show your commitment to employee and family safety with these simple, high-impact actions:
- Get car seats checked– Invite parents and caregivers to schedule a free online car seat check with a nationally certified child passenger safety technician. Or, stage a checkup event at your location in partnership with a local agency (Head Start, daycare, fire department, etc.) on National Seat Check Saturday Sept. 27.
- Take the Children in Hot Cars training– This free online course from the National Safety Council takes about 10 minutes to complete and prepares you to prevent hot car tragedies. A Group Course Training request form is available if you’d like to register a team.
- Download free outreach materials– Access flyers, fact sheets and social media assets from the National Child Passenger Safety Board and its partners to support your safety campaigns.
When kids are buckled, the roads are safer and our future is brighter. This is your chance to impact change. Light the path forward.