The Michigan Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) and the Office of Highway Safety Planning wish to invite all members of the Michigan State Police to participate in the 9^th annual Drive Safely Work Week campaign (DSWW) to be held October 3-7, 2005.  The goal of DSWW campaign is to emphasize the importance of driving safely on and off the job to eliminate preventable crashes.  With the theme “Driver Focus,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of all traffic crashes.  To raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, this year’s DSWW campaign addresses driver focus and the need for driver to “Be Ready.   Be Set.  Be Focused.” every ride, every time. 

The most dangerous part of the workday for any employee is the time they spend in their vehicle.  Every 12 minutes in the United States someone dies in a traffic crash. One in four work-related deaths are due to a traffic-related trauma, making it increasingly important for members of our community to make traffic safety a priority.

To help promote Drive Safely Work Week, a campaign poster has been mailed to your work station which you are encouraged to display during the week of October 3-7, 2005 in a prominent area of your work site.  Additional information promoting Drive Safely Work Week is available at http://www.trafficsafety.org/dsww.asp  

If you should have any questions, please contact Dan Vartanian, OHSP, NETS Corporate Program Coordinator, at 517/333-5322 or by e-mail at vartanid@michigan.gov.