ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Traffic crashes are the leading cause of work-related death and a national campaign involves employers in the effort to prevent them. The Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) encourages all employers to participate in Drive Safely Work Week, October 1 – 5, an annual observance that provides resources for the workplace.

"Employers can make a difference," said Lisa Kons, coordinator of Minnesota NETS. "Whether people drive for work, or simply to and from their jobs, it's important for organizations to make safe driving a top priority."

Forty percent of lost work hours are the result of traffic-related injuries, Kons said, and motor vehicle crashes cost U.S. employers $60 billion annually. Coordinated by the national Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, this year's Drive Safely Work Week campaign is focused on fundamental skills necessary to being a safe driver. Employers can find comprehensive free distracted driving resources and tools (including awareness strategies and materials, and sample policies) on the Minnesota NETS website at http://www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org/nets/drivesafelyworkweek.cfm.  

Minnesota NETS is a partnership of the Minnesota Safety Council and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety.

For more information, employers can contact Minnesota NETS coordinator Lisa Kons at 651-228-7330/800-444-9150; lisa.kons@minnesotasafetycouncil.org.         

SOURCE Minnesota Network of Employers for Traffic Safety