First annual Road Safety at Work Week March 2-6

RICHMOND, BC, Feb. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - Motor-vehicles incidents are a leading cause of worker fatalities in British Columbia. To bring attention to this critically important workplace safety issue, Road Safety at Work is launching the first annual Road Safety at Work Week awareness campaign, March 2 – 6, 2015.

Distracted driving — specifically the use of mobile phones while driving — is a contributing factor in many motor vehicle incidents and is the focus this year's Road Safety at Work Week.

Employers are responsible for the safety of their employees, even when they are behind the wheel. Road Safety at Work Week is an opportunity for employers, managers and workers to improve road safety awareness and adopt safe occupational driving practices.

• On average 23 workers a year are killed in British Columbia and another 1,290 are injured due to motor vehicle crashes while driving for work. (Source: WorkSafeBC, BIA Datamart and ODF Snapshot, 2009 to 2013, June 2014)
• Of the 269 people killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2013 in BC, distraction was a contributing factor in 77 (29%). (Source: ICBC Quick Stats)
• It is estimated that texting while driving increases crash risk by up to 23 times.

Allowing phone use or other distractions while driving creates a serious hazard and could result in property damage, injuries or deaths.  

Join the growing trend among employers, managers and workers, and pledge to drive phone-free. To make your pledge and get more information about safe driving practices visit www.roadsafetyatwork.ca.

Use #RSAWWeek to share your experience on social media, and encourage your co-workers, friends and family to take the drive phone-free pledge.

Road Safety at Work Week is an initiative of WorkSafeBC, the Justice Institute of BC, and a team of road safety and occupational health and safety professionals from around BC representing various industries.

Quotes:

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, Shirley Bond -

"It is a priority for our Government to ensure that employees have a safe work environment so that they can return home safely at the end of the day. Road Safety at Work week is a great opportunity for employers to promote safe and smart driving practices and improve road safety awareness so that dangerous driving situations can be avoided."

WorkSafeBC Industry and Labour Services Manager, Mark Ordeman -

"Road Safety at Work Week is an awareness campaign addressing various road safety hazards that can have a significant impact on employers and workers. This year the focus is distracted driving – specifically distractions caused by mobile phone use, and employers, managers and workers are encouraged to take this opportunity to commit to safety driving practices in the workplace. Specifically, pledge to drive phone-free."

Road Safety at Work Week Steering Committee Members:
The Road Safety at Work Week Steering Committee is a group of individuals representing employers and associations from across British Columbia. Members provide ideas and feedback to guide the development of Road Safety at Work Week campaigns.

About WorkSafeBC:
WorkSafeBC is an independent provincial statutory agency governed by a board of directors that serves about 2.2 million workers and more than 215,000 employers. WorkSafeBC was born from the historic compromise between B.C.'s workers and employers in 1917 where workers gave up the right to sue their employers and fellow workers for injuries on the job in return for a no-fault insurance program fully paid for by employers. WorkSafeBC is committed to safe and healthy workplaces and to providing return-to-work rehabilitation and legislated compensation benefits.

SOURCE Road Safety At Work

Lennea Durant, Media Relations, Road Safety at Work, Tel: [phone], [email protected]; Trish Knight Chernecki, Sr. Manager Government & Media Relations, WorkSafeBC, Tel: [phone], [email protected]