Stay Safe and Watch Out on the Roads this Labor Day Weekend

Stay Safe and Watch Out on the Roads this Labor Day Weekend

Protect yourself and loved ones by addressing roadway risks September 3-6.

Labor Day weekend is right around the corner, and that means the roads will be full of all sorts of drivers. The National Safety Council (NSC) encourages everyone to consider themselves and others’ safety while behind the wheel this holiday. Labor day is one of the most dangerous driving periods of the year.

According to a press release, the NSC estimates that more than 460 people may die on the roads this upcoming Labor Day weekend. The holiday fatality estimate is 19 percent higher than the 2020 Labor Day estimate of 390. Following a year of increased motor vehicle fatality rates across the country, NSC urges all Americans to proactively maintain the condition of their vehicles and practice safe driving.

Important safety precautions to make sure to follow include: limiting distractions when driving, driving the speed limit, wearing a seatbelt, not driving impaired, checking the oil level and inflating vehicle tires to appropriate levels. Checking for safety recalls is also necessary as well as scheduling repairs as soon as possible.

“During this late-summer season, Americans will be driving at an increased rate, so it’s important to make sure the vehicle you’re driving is as safe as possible,” said Mark Chung, vice president, roadway practice at NSC. “We encourage everyone to take two minutes this week to check their vehicles for recalls. You may not know if you or your loved ones are at risk until you check.”

In the United States, more than 50 million vehicles have un-repaired safety recalls, many involving defective parts that can pose serious risks to drivers or passengers. According to the NHTSA, more than 13.5 million airbags in the U.S. are defective and need to be repaired. When exposed to the high heat and humidity that many states experience during a crash, pieces of metal can exert from the airbag, injuring the passenger severely or even killing him/her.

Review additional information about Labor Day fatality estimates, motor vehicle data, research and more here.

About the Author

Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.

Product Showcase

  • Preventative Heat Safety

    Dehydration and heat exposure impair physical and cognitive performance. Proper hydration boosts heat stress resilience, but hydration needs are highly individualized and hard to predict across a workforce. Connected Hydration® empowers industrial athletes to stay safe through behavioral interventions, informed by sports science, and equips safety teams with critical insights to anticipate high-risk situations and adapt to evolving environmental factors. Curious about applying the latest in sports science based hydration strategies for industrial athletes? Stop by booth #1112 at AIHA or schedule a free demo today at https://epcr.cc/demo. Read More

  • Full Line of Defense Against Combustible Dust Nilfisk

    Nilfisk provides a comprehensive range of industrial vacuums meticulously crafted to adhere to NFPA 652 housekeeping standards, essential for gathering combustible dust in Class I, Group D, and Class II, Groups E, F & G environments or non-classified settings. Our pneumatic vacuums are meticulously engineered to fulfill safety criteria for deployment in hazardous surroundings. Leveraging advanced filtration technology, Nilfisk ensures the secure capture of combustible materials scattered throughout your facility, ranging from fuels, solvents, and metal dust to flour, sugar, and pharmaceutical powders. Read More

  • SwabTek® Cannabis Test Kit

    The SwabTek® Cannabis Test Kit is a single-use spot test designed for use in screening for cannabis compounds in any sample type or on any surface. The test is capable of identifying the presumed presence of cannabinoids in very small quantities, with a level of detection as little as 6 μg in mass. Learn more about the SwabTek® Cannabis Test Kit and the rest of SwabTek surface drug testing solutions through the webinar titled "Everything You Want To Know About Surface Testing" Read More

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars