Dangerous Drivers: Roads Are Less Crowded but Riskier

Distracted drivers, the presence of greater numbers of bicyclists and pedestrians, and speeding have contributed to an increase in roadway fatalities.

If you’re like me, you’ve noticed an uptick in risky driving in the past couple of months. Although there are fewer cars on the roads, I’ve noticed drivers weaving in and out of traffic in alarming ways. My area has experienced multiple fatality crashes attributed to speeds of up to 100 mph. I’ve witnessed drivers ignoring traffic signals and traffic signs, cutting off other drivers, and generally behaving badly.

Apparently, it’s a thing: Preliminary estimates and data from the National Safety Council are showing emptier but riskier roads during COVID-19 pandemic. Despite fewer vehicles on the road, roadway deaths have increased.

Preliminary estimates from the National Safety Council show that as Americans began driving less and covering fewer miles, the emptier roads became more lethal. Early data indicate a … Read more...

NIOSH Teams up with OSHA, Addressing Climate Change and More!

On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

  • Companies Addressing Climate Change
  • NIOSH, OSHA offer toolkit on respiratory protection for health care workers
  • NIOSH Collaborating with Wikipedia
  • Healthier Hospital Initiative Seeing Results
  • NSC Cellphone related Car Crashes has increased

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you. Until next week, enjoy the program!

EHS This Week Resources

For more information on the stories and resources mentioned in this week’s podcast, check out the links below.

  • NSC Report on Distracted Driving. Click here
  • NIOSH Collaboration with Wikipedia Press Release. Click here.
  • Healthier Hospitals Initiative Milestone Report. Click here
  • Hospital Respiratory Protection Program Toolkit. Click here
  • “Mind the Science” May 2015 Report: Click here
  • We Mean
Read more...

Ending Distracted Driving, Obesity and Safety Hazards, Dogs in the Workplace and more on EHS This Week

On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

  • Implementing a successful “No Distracted Driving” policy
  • NHS transparency initiative for UK hospitals
  • OSHA releases hazard bulletin for tree care workers
  • Obesity and safety hazards in the workplace
  • Health & safety implications of bringing dogs to work

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you.

Until next week, enjoy the program!

EHS This Week Resources

For more information on the stories and resources mentioned in this week’s podcast, check out the links below.

  • “No Distracted Driving” Policy Case Study: Read it here.
  • NSC’s Distracted Driving Research and Statistics: Check them out here.
  • OSHA Hazard Bulletin for Tree Care Work – Falls and Falling Object Hazards:
Read more...

Distracted Driving Kills: Find Out What You Can Do As An Employer

The National Safety Council (NSC) is promoting awareness of the consequences of distracted driving this month with slogans such as “Hands-Free Is Not Risk-Free” and “On the Road, Off the Phone.”

April was formally introduced to the United States as Distracted Driving Awareness Month back in 2010. There have been initiatives across Canada as well, including an RCMP campaign launched in British Columbia this past February. Yet wherever you are and whatever month you choose to review the statistics, they aren’t good. So what can we do, as individuals and employers, to reduce distracted driving?

Understand the Risk

At the time of writing the National Safety Council estimates that in this year alone 325,389 crashes in the United States have involved drivers using cell phones and texting. To put it another way, one crash approximately every 24 seconds.

Texting while driving increases the risk of a crash by 23 times, … Read more...