As vacationers hit the road this summer, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) reminds motorists that for many drivers, the road is where they work.

Transportation accidents are the No. 1 cause of on-the- job deaths in the United States. Policemen, firemen, emergency medical technicians, truck drivers and others 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. "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% were the 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% involved collisions between vehicles, 53% occurred between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m., 89% 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 on how to share the road with commercial vehicles. These include allowing large amounts of space between your vehicle and a truck because trucks and buses cannot stop as quickly as passenger vehicles. The brochure also addresses driving in construction work zone areas, and provides a list of web sites where more information on safe driving rules, statistics and expected roadway construction can be found.
Founded in 1911, the Illinois-based ASSE 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 send an e-mail to customerservice@asse.org.