Unique Opportunity
The week of March 2 stands out on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration events calendar for a unique reason: While many traffic safety campaigns focus on drivers, occupants and driving behaviors, only a handful concentrate on the vehicles themselves.
From March 2-8, NHTSA and safety leaders across the U.S. make an exception, officially recognizing Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, the cornerstone of Check To Protect, a program led by the National Safety Council and designed to raise awareness of vehicle safety.
Vehicle Safety Recalls Week is a nationwide reminder for drivers, employers and fleet managers to check for open vehicle safety recalls and get recalls fixed as soon as possible. Employers and fleet managers are in a powerful position to amplify this message and help protect their workforce.
Why Does It Matter?
A vehicle safety recall is issued when a defect is identified that could pose a risk to drivers or passengers. Automakers are required to notify vehicle owners about recalls, but those notices don’t always reach everyone, especially owners of older vehicles or cars that have changed hands.
Importantly, safety recalls can affect any year, make or model. Today, more than 57 million vehicles on U.S. roads have at least one open safety recall, meaning roughly one in every five vehicles could be putting occupants at risk without the driver even knowing it.
Real-World Example
One of the most well-known – and dangerous – examples is the Takata airbag recall. Over time, exposure to heat and humidity can cause these airbags to degrade, turning a critical safety device into a potentially deadly hazard. In even minor crashes, defective airbags can rupture and send metal fragments into the vehicle, possibly causing severe injuries.
Despite years of outreach, there are still millions of vehicles on the road with unrepaired Takata airbags. Repairs are free, and completing them could, quite literally, save a life. That’s why vehicle owners with open airbag recalls are urged to act immediately.
Checking is Free
Anyone can check for open vehicle safety recalls in just minutes. By visiting CheckToProtect.org, drivers can check the recall status of their vehicle using a license plate number, VIN or photo.
Because new recalls can be issued at any time, drivers can also sign up for calendar reminders to check again in the future. If an open recall is found, the next step is simple: Contact a local authorized dealership, schedule the repair and bring the vehicle in. All recall repairs are completed at no cost to the vehicle owner.
How Employers Can Help
Safety doesn’t start at the office or warehouse door. For many employees, the workday begins – and ends – behind the wheel. That’s why employers and fleet managers have a unique opportunity to make vehicle safety recalls part of their broader safety culture.
One effective approach is incorporating recall checks into an employee incentive program. Employees can be encouraged to visit CheckToProtect.org and check their personal vehicles for open recalls. Offer incentives just for checking, with additional rewards for completing any necessary repairs. It’s a simple step that helps protect employees, their families and others on the road.
- Fleet managers can request an account that allows you to review thousands of VINs at once for open safety recalls
Spread the Word
To support Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, Check To Protect offers free, ready-to-use resources, including social media graphics, one-pagers, talking points and a press release template. These materials make it easy to share consistent, impactful messages throughout the week and beyond.
To access these tools from CheckToProtect, click the Partner Resources tab.
For questions about the campaign or information about how to become more involved, please email National Safety Council Program Manager Lonny Haschel.
Influence Habits
In today’s fast‑paced work environment, driving decisions made in a split second can shape employee long‑term wellbeing and significantly affect your organization’s safety performance. Join us for a free online webinar Wednesday, March 18, as we explore how you can cultivate safer driving habits through culture, leadership and practical engagement strategies that resonate across all levels of the workforce.
Register to attend now: Creating a Culture of Safety – How Employers Can Influence Safer Driving Habits.
Why Culture?
Creating a strong culture of safety isn’t just about policies. Culture is about mindset. When employers champion safe driving as a shared value, employees are more likely to make responsible decisions both on and off the job. A culture of safety leads to:
- Fewer crashes and injuries, protecting employees and reducing business disruptions
- Lower operational costs, from insurance and litigation to downtime and vehicle repairs
- Improved compliance with safety and regulatory standards
- Stronger driver retention, as employees feel supported, valued and empowered
- A more resilient organization, where safety becomes second nature rather than a checklist
This webinar will help leaders take safety from a rule book to an ingrained part of everyday behavior.
What You’ll Learn
Participants will walk away with actionable techniques to make safer driving an organizational priority. Topics include:
- Behavior‑based safety principles and how they influence driver decision making
- Leadership practices that reinforce safe choices and create accountability
- Communication strategies that keep safety messages clear, consistent and compelling
- Training approaches that engage employees and encourage long-term behavior change
- Practical steps employers can implement immediately to reduce crash risks
Whether managing a fleet or supporting employees who drive occasionally for work, organizations of all types will benefit from these tools.
Meet the Presenter
Brian Fielkow is a consultant, professional speaker, author and executive vice president of risk resources at Acrisure. He brings decades of experience helping organizations strengthen safety culture and performance. Known for his people-centered leadership style, Brian is a trusted advisor to companies seeking practical, sustainable ways to boost engagement, reduce incidents and build high-performing teams.
Fielkow is also a past winner of the prestigious “CEO’s Who Get It” award from the National Safety Council.
Positive Direction
Ohio drivers are less distracted than others across America, according to a new study released by Cambridge Mobile Telematics.
From January through December 2025, U.S. drivers averaged 23.6 phone taps per 100 miles, while Ohio drivers averaged 21.9 – marking a 7.2% difference. While significant, Governor Mike DeWine said there is more work to be done.
“Although drivers in Ohio are keeping their eyes on the road more often than the nationwide average, I encourage more drivers to put their phones down as they travel. Nothing on your phone is worth risking your life for,” DeWine said in a press release to announce the results of the study.
Cambridge’s study showed handheld phone call rates in Ohio were 5% lower than the national average, too. Cambridge analyzed more than 189 million trips in 2025 using data from safe driving programs across Ohio.
- Read the Full Release: New Study Finds Ohio Below National Average for Distracted Driving
“Ohio’s progress is worth celebrating. However, we still see too many drivers focused on their phones instead of the road,” Ohio Department of Transportation Director Pamela Boratyn said. “This puts travelers and our roadside workers at risk. So please follow the law and put your phone down to ensure everyone gets to their destination or home safely.”
Get free resources in our Safe Driving Toolkit to help you promote distraction-free driving at your workplace. Start with these three:
- Safe Driving Policy
- Pledge to be an Attentive Driver
- Distracted Driving – Choose Focus, Choose Safety
“CMT’s data confirms what we’ve long believed – Ohio’s hands-free law is making a profound difference in preventing distracted driving and making our roadways safer,” Nationwide CEO Kirt Walker said.
Green with Safety Envy
Friends, coworkers and loved ones will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a variety of ways. Some will decorate with shamrocks and dress in green. Some will drink green beer and eat Irish foods, like corned beef and cabbage. Others might opt for a weekend getaway.
Whatever the case, you can be their lucky leprechaun and help them plan ahead for road safety. Why is this important? Incidents of impaired driving tend to spike on weekends and during holiday periods.
In Ohio, nearly 28,000 alcohol-related crashes occurred during a 37-month period from January 2023 to January 2026, according to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. That’s more than 750 alcohol-related crashes every month – a sobering reminder that celebrations can turn dangerous in an instant.
Toll of Impaired Driving
During this same period:
- Nearly 1,000 fatal crashes involved alcohol
- More than 2,100 alcohol-related crashes resulted in suspected serious injuries
Those numbers are more than statistics – they represent Ohio families forever changed.
Message Matters
Enjoying a safe St. Patrick’s Day requires more than affixing a button to your shirt that says “Kiss Me, I’m Irish.” As safety leaders, you can send a different kind of message: If you’re heading out for St. Patrick’s Day fun, be mindful of safety:
- Choose a designated, sober driver
- Use public transportation or a rideshare service
Alcohol isn’t the only thing that impairs drivers. Marijuana and other drugs, including prescription medications, fatigue, stress and anxiety can impact alertness and slow reaction times.
Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that drivers involved in serious-injury or fatal crashes frequently test positive for more than one drug – and trauma centers often find multiple substances in impaired drivers.
Lead the Way
You play a vital role in building a culture where safety isn’t just a habit, but a shared value. Here are two ways you can support safer driving across your organization:
- Use our free Safe Driving Toolkit: Raise awareness, spark conversations and promote a strong traffic‑safety culture with ready‑to‑use resources.
- Schedule Workplace Impairment Training: Our team brings interactive, realistic scenarios to your workplace. Participants learn to recognize many forms of impairment, including impairment caused by alcohol or use of other drugs, fatigue, medication side effects and mental distress.
Lasting Impact
Every reminder, resource and training you share helps reduce impaired‑driving incidents. As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, encourage your workforce to celebrate responsibly – and arrive home safely to the people who love them most.