Many of us are aware of potential hazards in and around the workplace. We try to watch our posture more when sitting at our desks, we’re mindful of construction areas and maybe we even take extra care when we’re practically running back to our desk to catch that reporter call.
But how many of us consider the extra care that’s needed when we travel for work? Think about how much you travel during your workday on behalf of your company. Personally, I have offsite meetings throughout the week, site visits for events, and events out of town that require a longer drive than usual, as well as travel around an unfamiliar city. What I don’t always consider is that in those moments, the road is my office, and I still need to be mindful of safety in the workplace.
Earlier this month, Texas Mutual Insurance Company (one of ECPR’s longtime clients) launched a driver safety campaign in Lubbock called “Give Safety a Hand.” As I listened to the presentation, I started thinking about how much time I spent on the road. Obviously, there are a number of occupations that require much more travel time than mine, but I’m still out there quite a bit. It’s up to me to stay safe.
Texas Mutual’s campaign focuses on four areas where drivers can improve their safety on the road:
- Driver fatigue
- Seatbelts
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
I can proudly say that I have one of those areas down—wearing a seatbelt. You won’t see me in a moving vehicle without one, but the other three could still use some work. I am getting better at being less distracted by my phone, and I’d like to think my Fitbit is helping me get more sleep. (I feel awful when I see I slept less than seven hours.) As for speeding, I started to realize years ago that leaving earlier than you need to for an appointment is actually a good thing.
All that said, there’s room for improvement, which will not only help me, but also other drivers on the road. So I pledge to be more mindful, whether I’m out there for work or pleasure, and I encourage you to join me!
-Levente McCrary,
Vice President, Account Management
