Vehicle/Driver Safety & Training

July 2010 - Trucker Talks Turkey
A professional truck driver talks about highway safety.

June 2010 - Summer Driving
Summer means more kids on the street and more health concerns fo frail passengers.

May 2010 - Turning Left
Making a left turn is such common driving maneuver that we may lose sight of the potential hazards.

Special Bulletin April 2010 - Intersection Safety
Twice as many crashes occur at intersections with traffic control devices than at intersections without them.

April 2010 - Turning Right
Right turns seem simple enough, but accidents frequently occur while turning right.

March 2010 - U-Turns
Every driver must complete U-turns from time to time. It is important to know when it is safe and legal.

Feb 2010 - Buckle Up
The value of wearing seat belts is well documented. Most people killed in on-the-job motor vehicle accidents were NOT wearing a seat belt.

Jan 2010 - Avoid Being Rear-ended
The first line of defense involves the vehicle itself. Scan your mirrors every five seconds to be sure you have an escape route.

Dec 2009 - Rushing During the Holidays
When we hurry we only pick up a few extra minutes at best. Sometimes we save no time at all.

Nov 2009 - Pedestrian Right-of-Way
Drivers are responsible to safeguard the safety of pedestrians.

Oct 2009 - Backing Up Safely: Safe Driving Habit #9
30% of our preventable accidents involve drivers who were backing up.  Never back up unless you are absolutely certain it is safe to so!

Sept 2009 - Safely Entering Intersections: Safe Driving Habit #8
Controlled intersections present a variety of dangers. It's important to be cautious and alert as you approach each one.

August 2009 - Safe Lane Changes: Safe Driving Habit #7
Changing lanes safely is a vitally important driving skill.

July 2009 - Smooth Acceleration & Deceleration: Safe Driving Habit #6
Safe drivers develop the habit of starting and stopping their vehicles smoothly.

June 2009 - IPDE: Safe Driving Habit #5
The core of defensive driving involves the ability to quickly recognize and avoid hazards. This is a series of actions known as IPDE, which stands for Identify, Predict, Decide, and Execute.

May 2009 - Safe Following Distance: Safe Driving Habit #4
Keeping a safe following distance is an essential driving habit because rear-collisions often involve major injury to drivers and passengers in addition to costly property damage.

April 2009 - Circle of Safety: Safe Driving Habit #3
The Circle of Safety is your margin of physical safety between you and the vehicles around you. (Espanol)

March 2009 - Visual Lead Time: Safe Driving Habit #2
Check far ahead as you scan, no matter what is happeing within the vehicle or its immediate surroundings. (Espanol)

Feb 2009 - Scanning: Safe Driving Habit #1
Scanning may one day save your life, or the lives of others. (Espanol)

Jan 2009 - Defensive Driving Principles
Safe drivers understand and practice the four principles of defensive driving at all times. (Espanol)

Dec 2008 - Winter Driving
Now is the time to reflect on winter driving to prepare yourself for adverse road conditions. (Espanol)

Nov 2008 - Cyberspeed
New advances in communication technology pose new and greater risks behind the wheel, particularly to younger drivers who tend to adopt new technologies more readily than older drivers. (Espanol)

Oct 2008 - Can You Use Disabled Parking?
Agencies that transport disabled persons can get a disability placard or special license plate from the DMV. (Espanol)

Sept 2008 - What Do I Do at the Scene of an Accident?
Accidents are rare occurrences for most of us, but this may mean we do not know what to do at the scene of an accident. Here are a few important things to remember for those hectic first moments after a collision. (Espanol)

August 2008 - Sharing the Road with Cyclists
Cyclists and motorists must watch out for one another and respect each other's rights to remain safe. (Espanol)

July 2008 - Road Rage
We all must all be vigilant and ready to defuse aggression when it occurs behind the wheel. (Espanol)

June 2008 - Dangers of Legal Drugs
Also, many drugs carry warnings about drowsiness or dizziness that people ignore.  However, this is a serious problem that leads to thousands of automobile crashes each year. (Espanol)

May 2008 - Cell Phones
Cell phones are certainly dangerous because of drivers looking away from the road to dial, answer, etc, but the biggest danger in cell phone conversations is that they distract us intellectually. (Espanol)

April 2008 - Driving While Distracted
Nearly 80% of crashes involved some form of driver inattention, particularly cell phones and drowiness.

March 2008 - Sleep Debt
Drowsiness leads to over 100,000 traffic accidents each year and is the leading cause of truck accidents.

Feb 2008 — Take a Break
Chronic stress can cause emtional states like anger, anxiety, and fatigue or even drug abuse. We need to take emotional breaks throughout the day to rest, cool off, and collect ourselves.

Jan 2008 — The Safety Zone
Most licensed drivers understand traffic laws and know how to safely operate a vehicle. Nonetheless, good drivers do make mistakes.

Dec 2007 — Night Driving
Darkness requires greater vigilance, especially in wet conditions. Monitor you fatigue and stress levels when driving at night.

Driving Distracted  
What is a “distraction” to a driver? It’s anything that takes hands, eyes or attention away from driving.  Driving is a complex activity, involving far more than simply steering, accelerating and braking. 

In the Event of a Vehicle Break Down
Vehicle break downs can happen at any time. Knowing how to safely respond is as critical as getting the vehicle back on the road.

When Vehicles Collide
Common causes of vehicle crashes and how to reduce the potential hazards

Reporting Vehicle Accidents
Prompt accident report protects your organization and ensures the expedient investigation and settlement of claims.

Preventing Rear-enders: Safe Following Distance
Maintaining a safe following distance is one of the most important accident-preventing driving habits to develop.

Rushing Through the Holidays
The best holiday present you can give your loved ones is to arrive at your destination alive.

Foundations of Safe Driving
We may seem to have bitten off a large topic to chew on this month, but the foundation of safe driving is pretty simple:  Control what you can, and allow for what you can’t control. 

Summer Driving
Summer is generally the safest time to drive: there are more daylight hours, visibility is good, and roads are usually dry.  However, summer presents a few challenges. 

Ready… Steady… and THEN Go
Avoiding accidents means being alert for other drivers’ unexpected moves, and also not being that
driver who “comes out of nowhere”!.  Here are tips for  planned and smooth, vehicle operation.

Special Mobility Device Bulletin
Sadly, the Vehicle Pool has recently experienced several claims involving serious injury or death of a passenger using a mobility device.  We are sending this special bulletin to all members who may transport passengers using mobility devices such as wheelchairs and 3-wheeled scooters.

Winter Driving
Winter is almost upon us again, bringing fog, wet roadways, and poor visibility.  Here is some general winter driving safety information.

What Do I Do At the Scene of An Accident?
Collisions will occur.  Fortunately, accidents are rare occurrences for most of us, but this also means most of us haven’t had a lot of practice handling accidents. Following are a few important things to remember for those hectic first moments after something has happened.

You need more protection than just your “game face”!
Personal Protective Equipment doesn’t just mean hard hats! Look at what you do!  Are you at risk for an accident or cumulative injury?  Can you dress for (safety) success?

Fatigue and Driver Safety – the “Sleepless Cycle”
Studies have confirmed that individuals who are sleep-deprived are functioning at the same level as if
they were legally intoxicated.

Recognizing and Handling Road Rage
Remember that a person in the grip of Road Rage has become so focused on dominating whatever situation they are in that they no longer even care if they have an accident, just so they win

The Four Principles of Defensive Driving
Advertising executives would like us to believe that driving is a sexy, fun, relaxing, ego-building experience; but most of the time driving is anything but that.  With more and more cars on the road and people having more and more demands on their time, driving is more risky than fun.  It’s pretty clear that the roadway is not a place to live out fantasies or exercise aggressions.  Instead, we need to be cautious and practical.  In short, we need to drive defensively.

1. Obey the law.
2. Watch out for other drivers.
3. Pay attention to how you feel.
4. Develop safe driving habits.

Trucker Talks Turkey
A professional truck driver talks about "the facts of life" on the road.

RELAX: It May Save You
Safety researchers have found that the majority of all vehicle accidents are stress-related.  If we want to be safe and well, it only makes sense to find out how to reduce stress.  Though this may seem obvious, the most effective way to reduce stress is the simple act of relaxation.

Red = Danger!
Crashes involving red-light violations are on the increase; each year more than 800 people die and more than 200,000 are injured in crashes caused by signal jumpers.

Double-Checking
The challenge at intersections arises from complexity; there are just so many rapidly changing variables.  As a result, it is not good enough to check once.  You must double-check before proceeding, particularly if you are turning right on a red.

Who Taught These People to Drive, Anyway?
No one has ever admitted to being a poor driver, even though we’ve all seen poor drivers on the road who tailgate, speed, cut us off, run red lights, and so forth.

Earning A “Back-aulaureate” Degree
Here’s everything our experience, observations and loss statistics have taught us about backing.

General Workplace Safety

July 2010 - Don't Take Back Problems Sitting Down
Why do so many of us have back problems today?  In part, it's the way our work and lifestyle has evolved.

June 2010 - How to Reduce and Manage Job and Workplace Stress
While some stress is a normal part of life, excessive stress interferes with productivity and reduces physical and emotional health, so it’s important to find ways to keep it under control.

May 2010 - Tips to "Beat the Heat"
Heat related illnesses are avoidable if the employees are trained and the right actions are taken.

April 2010 - Getting Back to Work Benefits Everyone
An Early Return to Work Program (ERTWP) provides an action plan for responding to injured employees and getting them back to work as soon as possible, which helps reduce claim costs, retain skilled workers, and improve employee relations.   

March 2010 - Sports Warm Up!
Physical exercise is always a good idea, but proper preparation will help prevent muscle and joint strains. 

Feb 2010 - Winter Hazards & Workplace Safety
As temperatures fall, certain workplace injuries tend to rise.  With winter, comes snow and ice.  Seasonal weather conditions present hazards on and off the job site

Jan 2010 - Planning for a Safe Workplace
There are many possible safety issues that can occur at your workplace.  Sometimes the best workplace safety practices arise out of simple good planning and smart thinking.

Oct 2009 - Document Your Safety - Take Your IIPP For A Spin!
Reducing the costs and risks associated with workplace injuries and illnesses requires planning.

June 2009 - Preventing Violence in the Workplace
All employees deserve a safe work environment. Yet the sad reality is that no workplace is safe from violence in today’s world.  You can protect your workplace and your employees by understanding more about how workplace violence starts.  

April 2009 - Reducing Back Strain & Stress
Healthy work habits will help you maintain a healthy back for life. (Espanol)

March 2009 - Managing Office Safety
Injuries in office settings are often caused by a lack of basic "housekeeping". (Espanol)

Jan 2009 - Illness Prevention - Just Stay Home
Cold and flu season is well underway,and many well-meaning employees are bringing these germs to work. (Espanol)

Dec 2008 - Don't Take Back Problems Sitting Down
Why do so many of us have back problems today? In part, it's the way our work and lifestyle has evolved. (Espanol)

Sept 2008 - Recognizing a First Aid Claim
All employers are required to file a report of every occupational injury or illness which results in lost time beyond the date of the injury or illness, or which requires medical treatment beyond first aid. (Espanol)

August 2008 - Workplace Safety Planning
Your workplace can beat the odds with some simple planning and basic safety tips. (Espanol)

July 2008 - Fire Safety
The best safety advice related to fire safety is to stay calm. Being prepared helps you stay calm during a real fire. (Espanol)

June 2008 - Planning for a Safe Workplace
There are many possible safety issues than can occur at your workplace. Sometimes the best workplace safety arises out of simple good planning and smart thinking.(Espanol)

May 2008 - Top Ten Workplace Safety Tips
Ten tips for reducing accidents and providing a safe working environment. (Espanol)

March 2008 — Wellness Programs
Employees are your most valuable resource - focus on their overall wellbeing.

Dec. 2007 -- Document Your Safety
Reducing the costs and risks assoicated with workplace injuries and illnesses requires planning, and every California employer is required to have a written Illness an dInjury Prevention Plan (IIPP). Need help? We will review your IIPP or help you develop one.

Holiday Hazards - Work and Home
This season is full of hazards not often found in our environment during the rest of the year; here are some tips and alerts on common things that can trip us up (sometimes literally!).

Payroll by Any Other Name...
Reporting payroll for workers' compensation coverage can be a challenge. Should you report bonuses, shift differences, or auto allowances?

What's Your IAQ?
Indoor Air Quality affects the comfort and safety of your employees. IAQ monitoring is relatively inexpensive and this low-cost investment could literally save your company.

Sexual Harassment Training - Know the Requirements
Well-trained supervisors are your first line of defense against harassment and discrimination exposures.

Be Willing to Change Your Posture Habits!
Our bodies are designed to move, bend and flex - and our posture changes to fit the task. Static posture leads to discomfort and lower productivity. Be aware of your posture while working. 

Tuck An Elbow, Bend a Knee!
Most of us have experienced back pain at one time or another.  Backs account for over 20 percent of all work-related injuries, for numerous reasons, but many, if not most, back injuries are the result of improper lifting.

You need more protection than just your “game face”!
Personal Protective Equipment doesn’t just mean hard hats! Look at what you do!  Are you at risk for an accident or cumulative injury?  Can you dress for (safety) success?