The nature of home care means your employees are constantly on the road, whether they’re marketing reps, in-home staff or others. And they may sometimes have clients in the vehicle with them.
You probably already have instructed your staff on the importance of safe driving, but April’s Distracted Driving Awareness Month is the perfect time to step up your efforts to promote safe driving within your organization, as well as among the patients you serve.
After all, 3,179 people were killed in 2014 and another 431,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving distracted drivers, according to www.distraction.gov. Distracted driving includes any activity that can divert attention from driving, including texting, using a cell phone, eating, grooming, reading,, watching a video, or adjusting a radio/MP3 player.
Here are some tips to help you get started as you call attention to this important issue.
- Visit the observance website hosted by the National Safety Council to find tons of resources to help educate your staff about the dangers of distracted driving.
- If you don’t already have a cell phone policy in place for your staff, your time without one should be over. Download the free cell phone policy kit to get started in creating your own workplace roadway cell phone use policy.
- Find tons of downloads and other resources here and here. Integrate the materials in your normal communications, including in your monthly newsletter and on your website.
- Contact your local media and make sure they know not only about the dangers of distracted driving, but what your agency is doing to keep your community’s roads safer. Make one or two of your employees available to speak about their commitment to safe driving.
- Host a community discussion focusing on distracted driving. In addition to distractions in the car, talk about mental distractions, such as caregiver stress, that can affect road performance. AAA has put together great tips to help prevent distracted driving.