AAA Chicago Supports 'Drive Safely Work Week'

Public Service Platform Challenges Drivers to Always Be on Their Best Behavior

AURORA, Ill., Oct. 1 -- Across the country, by the end of every week nearly 1,000 people die in crashes on America's roadways. Many of these tragedies involve working-class commuters or people who drive for a living. That is why AAA Chicago has teamed up with the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) to promote and support its eighth annual "Drive Safely Work Week" campaign, which runs next week, October 4-8.

"It is imperative that drivers practice safe driving behaviors every trip, every time," says Steve Bernth, AAA Chicago President and COO. "AAA Chicago is a proud partner and supporter of NETS because its network of employers large and small is a vital conduit for teaching and reminding people about the life- saving topic of practicing road safety."

NETS' Drive Safely Work Week is a national campaign designed to help employers emphasize the importance of driving safely both on and off the job to reduce preventable crashes. During this special week AAA Chicago will demonstrate its commitment to protecting the health and well being of its most valuable assets-its employees. And, we hope employers alike across Illinois and northern Indiana will join us in promoting this very important message to employees.

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death and injury among the nation's workforce, and for most employers one crash costs an average of $16,500. In 2003, some 43,220 people were killed in traffic crashes and approximately three million were injured, costing employers nationally a cumulative cost of $60 billion.

Human error is a contributing factor in over 90 percent of crashes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers' decisions to tailgate, change lanes abruptly, use excessive speed and pass on the shoulder are factors in three out of five highway crashes. These and other hazardous driving behaviors coupled with unsafe driver attitudes make the time employees spend in the car the most dangerous part of the work day.

The theme for this year's campaign is "Safe Drivers are Good Company, Make Safe Driving Your Business" and it stresses five positive driving behaviors including:

   -- Add another second ... Keep a safe following distance
   -- Steer clear of trouble ... Expect bad decisions by other drivers
   -- Use good judgment ... Just because you can doesn't mean you should
   -- Look ahead ... Be alert to changing traffic conditions
   -- Stay alert and focused ... No one is crash-proof

For many employees, the most dreaded part of the workday is time spent on the road. Whether driving is a regular part of the job or a means of getting to and from work, congestion and bad roads not only make driving miserable, but these factors also increase the risk of being involved in a crash. Toward that end, AAA Chicago and NETS challenge Illinois' and northern Indiana's drivers to always practice safe driving and we challenge employers to get involved by joining NETS -- the only U.S. organization dedicated exclusively to traffic safety in the workplace. For more traffic safety tips, visit the Web sites of AAA Chicago at http://www.aaa.com/ or NETS at http://www.trafficsafety.org/ .

About AAA Chicago

AAA Chicago offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 46 million members in the United States and Canada. Visit our web site at http://www.aaa.com/ .