Share the Road: Safety Tips & Initiatives
October is Pedestrian Safety Month. This is a great time to share resources with employees to keep them safe when walking or when driving around pedestrians. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office has developed a new safety handout that can be shared with employees to expand knowledge on keeping Ohio’s roadways a safe place to travel. This two-sided handout is aimed directly at drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. Risky driving can have deadly consequences, especially for vulnerable roadway users. The new Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Card provides great reminders for your employees.
Car crashes are a leading cause of preventable death for teens, but DriveitHOME, a National Safety Council program, is committed to keeping new drivers safe by getting parents and caregivers more involved as their teens learn to drive. To make this easier, DriveitHOME, in partnership with Honda, is offering parents, caregivers and stakeholders a free toolkit for this year’s National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 20-26).
This free National Teen Driver Safety Week toolkit includes:
- Posters on safe-driving topics
- Videos to get parents and caregivers more involved
- Animated graphics on top risk factors for new drivers
- A social media kit and partner guides with ready-to-use communications
- All resources available in both English and Spanish
Ohio employers also can get their employees and their families involved in National School Bus Safety Week (Oct. 21-25) by letting them know about the National School Bus Safety Poster Contest, with the theme Safety First-Safety Always. Employers also can help reduce the risk of pedestrian injuries by informing employees of the dangers of not following Ohio’s school bus law.
As working individuals, we appreciate making the journey to and from work safely. Help us promote safe driving habits around school buses to ensure our children can travel to and from school safely.
Turn Back the Clock and Buckle Up
The holiday season is drawing near. It’s time to get out the costumes, pumpkins and turkeys! Before getting too excited, remember to remind employees that daylight saving time ends Sunday, Nov. 3. Be sure to remind employees to set their clocks back an hour – and to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.
Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is Nov. 3-9. Employers should take this time to explain the risk of fatigued driving. One in 25 adult drivers reportedly have fallen asleep while driving. In 2021, NHTSA reported there were 684 fatalities linked to drowsy driving and the economic impact of drowsy-driving crashes in the U.S. came to an estimated $109 billion. The National Sleep Foundation suggests being on the lookout for these drowsy-driving warning signs:
- Finding it hard to focus on the road, frequent blinking or heavy eyelids
- Starting to daydream, wandering eyes and disconnected thoughts
- Having trouble remembering the last few miles driven
- Missing an exit or ignoring traffic signs
- Yawning repeatedly or rubbing your eyes
- Finding it hard to keep your head up or nodding off
- Drifting from your lane, tailgating or hitting a shoulder rumble strip
- Feeling restless and irritable, or becoming aggravated with common annoyances such as sitting in traffic
With heavy traffic anticipated during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday period, employers should encourage employees to leave early, drive the speed limit, have a designated driver and be well rested before driving. In 2023, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported eight people were killed on Ohio roadways during the Thanksgiving holiday driving period. This is the lowest number of deaths since 2018. Employers should remind employees of these safe-driving tips:
- Don’t drive impaired
- Be prepared for busy roads
- Be weather aware and prepare for changing conditions
- Take breaks if traveling long distances
- Limit any distractions while driving; put the phone down