American Society of Safety Engineers Urge Vacationers to Drive Safely, Be Mindful of Those Who Must Drive as Part of Their Job

DES PLAINES, Ill., May 27, 2004 -- As vacationers hit the road this summer, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) reminds motorists to be aware of the fact that for many drivers, the road and their vehicle is where they work. Transportation accidents are the number one cause of on-the- job deaths in the U.S. Policemen, firemen, emergency medical technicians, salespeople, utility workers, deliverymen, truck drivers, construction work zone employees and many more are at work while on the road and at risk every day.

"With hundreds of thousands more vehicles expected to be on the road this summer it is important for all to drive safely or face a season of increased roadway crashes, deaths, injuries and property damage," ASSE President James "Skipper" Kendrick said today. "Anyone operating a motor vehicle as part of his or her job is dangerously at risk of being involved in a roadway crash."

Of the 5,524 fatal on-the-job fatalities recorded in the U.S. in 2002, 43 percent were a result of transportation accidents with truck drivers recording the most fatalities with 808, followed by farm industry workers at 519.

As for the on-the-job crashes, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 49 percent involved collisions between vehicles, 53 percent occurred between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., 89 percent of the fatally injured workers were male, and that the risk of fatality is greater for those aged 55 and older.

To help the motoring public, ASSE has developed a free 'Important Driving Safety Tips' brochure. This brochure provides safe driving tips and facts such as how to safely share the road with commercial vehicles such as by allowing large amounts of space between your vehicle and a truck as truck and busses cannot stop as quickly as passenger vehicles; how to correctly secure your children in your vehicle; how to drive safely in roadway construction work zone areas; and, provides a list of websites where more information on safe driving rules, statistics and expected roadway construction in your area can be found.

Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the oldest and largest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its 30,000 members manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education. To order a copy of the free 'Important Driving Safety Tips' brochure contact ASSE at 847-699-2929 or customerservice@asse.org .