WRITTEN BY GARY SMITH, APARTMENT BUILDING MANAGEMENT WORKERS COMPENSATION SELF INSURED FUND
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), an organization that gathers data, analyzes industry trends, and prepares objective insurance rate and loss cost recommendations, determined that traffic accidents are a leading cause of high-severity workers compensation injuries.1
Moreover, NCCI finds that they are pervasive, and even clerical positions have surprisingly high exposure to traffic accidents.2 So, these high dollar workers’ compensation claims resulting from traffic crashes are spread throughout all worker classifications.
As we enter the winter months, employers can help prevent these costly workers’ compensation claims by promoting the three P’s of Safe Winter Driving3:
PREPARE for the trip:
Check the battery. As temperature drops, so does battery power. Technicians can check the battery for sufficient voltage.
Check the cooling system. When coolant freezes it expands. This expansion can potentially damage your vehicle’s engine block.
Fill the windshield washer reservoir. Use high-quality, “no-freeze” fluid. Buy extra to keep on hand in the vehicle.
Check windshield wipers and defrosters. Replace worn blades with heavy-duty winter wiper blades that will resist ice buildup.
Inspect your tires. Check out www.safercar.gov for tire ratings before buying new ones. Keep a tire pressure gauge in your vehicle at all times and check pressure when tires are “cold” – meaning they haven’t been driven on for at least three hours. Tires should be replaced when the wear bar indicator is visible at 2/32nds.
PROTECT yourself:
Buckle up. Adult seat belt use is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes.4
PREVENT crashes on the road
Slow down and increase distances between cars.
Be extra careful in snowy or wet conditions when the temperature is 25 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 2 degrees to 4 degrees Celsius). Tires actually get more traction on solidly frozen roads at lower temperatures than they do on wet snow in moderately cold weather.
Brake early. Gentle, early braking will reduce the risk of traction loss and give others a chance to adjust.
Use your turn signals early. In poor weather, other drivers need plenty of warning to adjust.
Keep your eyes open for pedestrians walking in the road.
For additional driving tips on snow and ice, see Snow Going: Winter Driving Tips at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTgmC0Pmb8. You and your co-workers will learn how to handle braking, skids, etc.
Should you require assistance with safe winter driving or, more broadly, defensive driving, please contact Gary Smith, CRM, at (517) 338-3367 or Gary.Smith@cmi-yorkrsg.com.
References:
NCCI Research Brief: The Role of Traffic Accidents in Workers Compensation – An Update; December 2012.
NCCI: Traffic Accidents – A Growing Contributor to Workers Compensation Losses; December 2006.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at www.osha.gov/Publications/SafeDriving.pdf
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 2013. Publication no. DOT-HS-811-851.