|
IWIF sponsors Maryland Workplace Safety Month: Partners with Smooth Operator to put the brakes on aggressive driving
651 people died on Maryland roadways in 2006
(TOWSON,
MD)--Maryland’s roadways are becoming increasingly more dangerous
for workers in all industries. According to the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, motor vehicle accidents were the leading cause
of workplace fatalities in 2006, the last year for which information
is available.
To help prevent aggressive driving that leads to roadway crashes involving Maryland
workers, IWIF Workers’ Compensation Insurance is proud to announce the
start of the 7th annual IWIF Workplace Safety Month in June. The company is partnering
with the Smooth Operator Program, a cooperative interstate effort to combat aggressive
driving in the mid-Atlantic region, to help spread the safety message. IWIF’s
safety campaign will include television and radio public service announcements,
web site resources and links, and a free employers’ safety kit with information
on preventing and avoiding aggressive driving. Aggressive driving behavior includes:
•
speeding
•
weaving in and out of traffic and making unsafe lane changes
•
tailgating
•
running red lights and stop signs and ignoring traffic signs
•
improper passing and other dangerous maneuvers
•
failure to yield the right of way
“Driving in the course of the workday is one of the most
dangerous duties faced by Maryland workers,” says Tom Phelan,
IWIF president and CEO. “IWIF is proud to partner with the
Smooth Operator Program to help Maryland’s workers become
safer drivers and to educate them on the hazards associated with
aggressive driving.”
A recent study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration found that in 2006, 651 people were killed in motor
vehicle accidents in Maryland, up six percent from 2005. What’s
more, 60% of motor vehicle injuries and 44% of fatalities occurred
between the workday hours of 5 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Many roadway accidents are compensable workers’ compensation
insurance claims. For instance, IWIF’s claim data show 10%
of total claim costs are a result of auto accident claims. The
average cost per claim for a workplace auto accident is $13,800,
due to the fact that injured workers involved in motor vehicle
accidents tend to suffer multiple bodily injuries and require more
medical treatment.
To help policyholders and Maryland employers prevent costly workplace
auto accidents involving their workers, IWIF published a safety
information kit. Titled, “Put the Brakes on Aggressive Driving,” the
kit is free to IWIF policyholders and includes information about
the Smooth Operator Program, driving safety materials, information
on driver safety courses offered by the Chesapeake Region Safety
Council, and guidelines for employers to reduce motor vehicle crashes,
written by the Network for Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS).
To order IWIF’s free safety
information kit on curbing aggressive driving in the workforce,
visit www.iwif.com or e-mail
publications@iwif.com.
Established in 1914, IWIF is the leading provider of workers’ compensation
insurance in Maryland.
|
