Safe Journeys: Why Vehicle Safety Starts Long Before You Hit the Gas

For many workers, a big share of their exposure to serious risk happens before they even reach the worksite: on the road, driving to the site, between sites, or home after a long shift. Driving feels familiar, so it rarely gets the same attention as a permit-controlled job. Yet a vehicle at speed carries enormous energy, and the road is shared with people whose behaviour you can't control.

The rule is simple: follow safe driving rules on every work journey, whether you're behind the wheel of a truck or a company car.

What that looks like on the job

• Belt up, every trip, and make sure your passengers do too.
• Put the phone out of reach. No calls, texts or "quick looks" at the screen while driving.
• Drive to the conditions, not just the speed limit. Rain, darkness, heavy traffic and rough roads all call for more time and more space.
• Don't drive tired. Plan breaks on long journeys, and pull over if you feel your eyes getting heavy.
• Check the vehicle with a quick walk-around before you set off: tyres, lights, mirrors, load security and any warning lights.
• Plan the journey. Sometimes the safest trip is the one you don't make, or the one you make the next morning.

Real-World Impact

In the United States, transportation incidents were the most frequent type of fatal work event in 2023. They accounted for 1,942 of the 5,283 fatal work injuries recorded, more than a third of the total. Even in construction, where falls are the biggest killer, transportation incidents caused more than one in five deaths.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries 2023

Reflective Questions

• When did you last use your phone while driving for work, even at a red light?
• Do our schedules and deadlines push people to drive tired or too fast?
• Would you feel supported if you called your supervisor to say you need to stop and rest?