The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is making available a free online toolkit to help employers plan for and promote this year’s Drive Safely Work Week campaign, set for Oct. 3-7.

The safety campaign’s theme for 2016 is, “Drowsy, Distracted or Focused — Your Decisions Drive Your Safety.” To download the free toolkit, click here. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver behavior contributes to 94% of all traffic crashes. Campaign materials call on motorists — company drivers and commuters — to take a hard look at what they do that might increase their risk of a crash.

A NETS report released earlier this year found traffic crashes cost employers more than $47 billion over the course of a year. The cost was almost equally split between crashes that occurred on the job and those that took place off the job.

The 2016 Drive Safely Work Week campaign’s areas of emphasis include:

• The roles quality and quantity of sleep play in daily performance

• Recognizing the signs and risk factors of drowsy driving

• Prevalent behind-the-wheel behaviors that contribute to a large percentage of crashes

• Dialing in on the dangers of mobile device use behind the wheel

• Making the case for slowing down and buckling up.

“The Drive Safely Work Week campaign is an opportunity for employers to address road safety with all employees, not just those in driving-focused roles,” said Dane Bremer, director of employee safety and global business continuity for Liberty Mutual and NETS board chair. “Nearly 1.6 million days are lost from work due to traffic crashes and 90% of those are related to off-the-job crashes. This campaign gives employers a ready-made resource to help keep all of their employees — and their families — safe on the roads.”