Safety Coach
Traffic Safety Awards
Many employers embrace driver and transportation safety training to reduce crashes, decrease liability risk and, most importantly, save lives. Today, National Safety Council leaders and representatives of the Our Driving Concern Texas Employer Traffic Safety Program are excited to recognize 11 Texas employers who have adopted that safety mindset and put road safety first.
These employers are the recipients of the 2021 Our Driving Concern Texas employer traffic safety awards, presented annually in conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation since 2014. All of the recipients share at least one common bond: They are committed to keeping their employees and others safe on the roads.
“These employers are showing us the way,” said DeAnn Crane, National Safety Council and Our Driving Concern program manager. “They have set the gold standard of achievement in the field of employee education and transportation safety training. They serve as models for other Texas employers to emulate. And they know zero is the only acceptable number – zero crashes, zero injuries, zero fatalities.”
Four Texas employers earned the prestigious “exemplary” award distinction by promoting traffic safety at work and encouraging employees to carry home that message to safeguard family members, while seven others were singled out as award recipients.
Exemplary Award Recipients
- Jetco Delivery
- Port of Corpus Christi Authority
- Shell Exploration and Production Company
- Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Award Recipients
- City of Arlington
- City of Austin Public Works
- City of Irving
- City of San Antonio
- City of Waco
- Indeca Crude Xpress
- Pioneer Natural Resources
“This past year was difficult for all of us,” Crane said. “We learned to be more flexible and more resourceful. Looking forward, we must continue to prioritize safety, just as these Texas employers are doing, to address driver behavior. These award-winners have distinguished themselves and found ways to always put safety first.”
Tailgate Talk
Safety Knows No Boundaries
As you ponder new ways to connect with your team, consider this message from Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council: “With the best ideas, the right tools and everyone showing up to redefine what’s possible, no safety challenge will be too big for us to overcome, from the workplace to anyplace.”
Encourage your employees to take home what they learn at work. In this way, you can make a positive difference in the lives of their family members, too. Let’s focus here on meeting your employees where they live:
Vehicle Safety Recalls
According to Carfax, 24.5% of vehicles in Texas have unrepaired safety recalls. Make sure your fleet vehicles and your workers’ personal vehicles are safe. Go to CheckToProtect and enter your vehicle’s information to learn your recall status. Your workers also can text “RECALL” to 99724 and follow the prompts to learn their status.
One recall that is particularly dangerous involves defective Takata airbags that can malfunction and shoot shrapnel at a driver or passenger. The risk increases when these airbags are exposed to heat and humidity, so make sure to schedule a free repair at a local, authorized dealership if your vehicle is affected.
For downloadable graphics and social media materials to share with your workers, visit this CheckToProtect resources page. Also, please reach out to [email protected] if you are interested in learning more about posters, vehicle canvassing events and other opportunities.
Family Road Safety
Car crashes are the leading cause of preventable death for teens, and after a dramatic spike in crash fatality rates this past year, they need help more than ever to stay safe. DriveitHOME, an initiative of the National Safety Council, offers free resources employers can share with their workers to prioritize teen driver safety, including:
- Pointers for Parents, a collection of weekly driving lessons
- The New Driver Deal, a parent-teen driving agreement
- Employer Resources, a suite of items, including posters, infographics and a safety talk to share with your workforce
Whether your workers have a teen who will be ready to drive soon or their kids already are licensed, DriveitHOME makes it easy for parents and caregivers to get and stay involved in their safety.