Employers

Workplace safety is an important element in any job, and sometimes the workplace extends beyond the office — to a construction site, or conferences and meetings which require travel. Often this means that your employee's car becomes their place of work, however temporary. Or, perhaps you have a fleet of vehicles, or employees who travel regularly on the road.

When your employee's workplace includes their vehicle, it is important to have policies that clearly outline the expectations of your organization, and protect the safety of your employees.

Safe driving courses that teach your employees how to eliminate distractions from their driving experience will keep them safe and healthy. Here are some things you can do to encourage safe driving behaviours:

Budget time for them to eat, make phone calls and take rest stops. Ensuring your employees have enough time to eat and drink (or even take smoke breaks) during their trip may not seem like much, but taking time to eat off the road means they can concentrate on the road. Lighting a cigarette also takes their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road.

No tolerance for cell phones while driving. Having a no-tolerance policy for talking on cell phones while driving means your employees have their hands on the wheel, and their mind on the road. If they must make a call, encourage them to pull over when it is safe to do so and place their call. This will not only allow them to concentrate on business when talking on the phone, but will ensure they're taking the business of driving safely just as seriously.

Pre-program radio stations and/or fill your CD changer. Traffic safety studies show that most drivers underestimate the distraction their radio/CD changer can cause. In fact, a recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found adjusting the radio to be the second most common distraction for motorists. Encourage your employees to take a few moments and pre-program the stations they want to listen to and load their CDs, before they start their car.

Encourage them to be aware of their mental state. If your employees are angry, frustrated or very upset, remind them to calm down before climbing behind the wheel. Strong emotions will affect how they drive, and colour their attitudes towards other road users, possibly resulting in an incident or altercation. Let them know that taking a "cooling off" break and being safe are more important than arriving quickly "no matter what."

Secure loose items on the dash, rear view mirror and vacant seats. Sharp turns or abrupt stops will cause unsecured items to fly — creating a noisy distraction and possibly an injury. Put unsecured items in the glove box, trunk or leave them at home or in the office.

Review maps and directions before leaving. Have your employees budget time to plan their routes before leaving, especially if they are venturing into new territory.

Encourage them to remove visual obstructions. Suggest they get rid of anything that obstructs a clear view of their mirrors and windows, such as air fresheners dangling from the rearview mirror, bumper stickers in the back window, etc.