Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety Urges Employer Involvement to Reduce Impaired Driving

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In support of the statewide impaired driving campaign being conducted throughout July, the Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is challenging employers to actively promote safer driving and help reduce their employees' risk of injury.

"Employers pay for alcohol-related crashes whether they occur on or off the job," said Lisa Kons, coordinator of Minnesota NETS. "They're in a unique position to positively affect employees and their families, and reduce their organization's costs."

Alcohol misuse boosts absenteeism, impairs job performance, diminishes productivity, threatens public safety, and contributes to skyrocketing health care costs for employers, Kons said. According to the national Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, people with alcohol misuse problems:

-- use more sick leave than other employees

-- are more likely to file workers' compensation claims, and

-- are more likely to cause injuries to themselves or others while on the job.

The statewide "Safe & Sober" impaired driving enforcement campaign is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) and involves more than 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies. Minnesota NETS encourages employers to make the case for sober driving to employees and support it publicly, for example with messages on business marquees.

Free educational materials for employees, sample alcohol policies and other workplace resources and strategies are available through the Minnesota NETS Web site at http://www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org/nets/impaireddriving.htm.

InMinnesota, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death from age one through 34 and the leading cause of workplace death.

Minnesota NETS is a project of the Minnesota Safety Council and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety. The Minnesota Safety Council, founded in 1928, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life inMinnesota by preventing unintentional deaths and injuries.

SOURCE Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety

Copyright © 2008, PRNewswire
Copyright © 2008, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: minnesota

   _   _

         

Is your favorite bookmark site missing? Ask for it.