National Safety Month
Join the National Safety Council this June for the 30th anniversary of National Safety Month, dedicated to keeping people safe, from the workplace to anyplace. For this year’s observance, NSC is offering a month of free resources on these four weekly topics:
- Moving Safety Forward (June 1-6): Advance a culture of safety with forward-thinking strategies and tools
- Staying Safe on the Roads (June 7-12): Help reduce crashes with practical guidance for drivers, pedestrians and fleets
- Promoting Holistic Worker Health (June 14-20): Support total worker wellbeing with insights on mental, physical and emotional health
- Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls (June 21-30): Reduce common workplace and home hazards with targeted prevention resources
As a National Safety Month participant, you will receive:
- A campaign poster and participant guide
- Weekly fact sheets and 5-minute safety talks
- Weekly curated videos, articles and research
- Go Green for safety sign
- SafeAtWork pledge
Sign up to get your free resources.
By joining NSC in this year’s observance, you can help prevent the leading causes of injuries and fatalities at your workplace, at home and in your community.
Plan to Attend
Save the date! Our next FREE online webinar is Wednesday, June 10. The topic: Driving Success – Top 5 Must-Do Safety Practices for Managers in Fleet Operation.
This session is designed for fleet and operations managers committed to improving driver safety and performance. We’ll cover the top five things every manager should do to foster a culture of safety, including best practices for risk management, implementing effective training programs, supporting driver personal development and staying up to date with key safety certifications. You’ll learn actionable strategies that can help reduce incidents, enhance driver retention and strengthen your organization’s reputation as a safety leader. Whether you’re managing a small team or a large fleet, this session will provide valuable insights to elevate your safety game.
Presenter: Kenny Ray, Vice President Safety & Risk Consulting, Cline Wood/Marsh
Start Summer with Safety
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer – a time for cookouts, parades, family gatherings and long weekend getaways. Summer is also a time when the roads become more crowded with travelers. Higher traffic volume creates a heightened risk of serious crashes.
For employers and safety leaders, this is a great time to reinforce safe driving behaviors and remind everyone on your team that impaired driving is 100% preventable.
Risk Increases
Long weekends and holiday celebrations often include alcohol, and that can turn deadly when drivers make poor choices. Texas drunk driving crash facts highlight the risk:
- In 2024, 1,053 people were killed in Texas motor vehicle crashes involving a driver under the influence of alcohol, according to the Texas Department of Transportation
- These deaths accounted for 25.4% of all traffic fatalities statewide
- DUI-alcohol crashes occurred most often between 2 and 2:59 a.m. and most frequently on Sundays
Emphasize that these statistics are more than numbers. They represent lives forever changed – of family members, coworkers and community members.
Real Stories, Real Consequences
TxDOT’s Faces of Drunk Driving campaign uses firsthand testimonials from survivors and offenders to illustrate what’s truly at stake. Victims share the pain of losing loved ones or living with permanent, life-altering injuries. Offenders describe the lifelong emotional, legal and financial consequences of a single decision to drive impaired.
The message is simple and powerful: Every person on the road has a story, and impaired driving can cut those stories short.
Watch/share this YouTube video: Monse’s Story (31 seconds)
Be Proactive
Safety leadership starts with proactive messaging and personal responsibility. Encourage safe practices. Post these tips on your bulletin board or share in a company-wide email blast:
- Plan ahead for a sober ride if alcohol will be involved – designate a driver, use a rideshare or stay overnight
- Prepare vehicles for summer travel with routine maintenance and recall checks; find out if your vehicle has an open recall
- Drive defensively during high-traffic holiday periods
- Don’t consume or take anything that could affect your ability to drive safely, including alcohol or other drugs and medications
- Support teen drivers, especially during the summer months; safety risks increase with so many inexperienced drivers on the road, some fulfilling job duties
- Stay focused and obey speed limits – distractions and speeding compound risk
Provide Education
Our driver safety e-learning portal is stocked with a variety of FREE online courses, including a self-paced module on impaired driving and another that outlines unique risks young drivers face on and off the job. By using the group delivery format, supervisors and managers can assign courses and track completions.
Preventable Problem
In Texas, summer means road trips, river floats, barbecues and long days outside. Drunk driving crashes are entirely preventable, and their aftermath can devastate lives for years. As summer begins, let’s set the tone. Let’s enjoy the season, take care of our own and make the choice that gets everyone home safely.
Plan ahead. Don’t drive impaired. Your decisions matter.
