Because of the costs associated with auto accidents in Colorado, some businesses are going the extra mile by offering employees defensive driving courses, whether they drive on the job or not.
In the aftermath of an auto accident, the focus tends to be on the human aspect: who was involved, who was injured, who may have died; the loss of life that occurs annually due to crashes is devasting. But what people may not think about is the financial costs associated with injuries following an accident. If you are a business owner, you may be surprised at what it costs you if one of your employees gets into an accident.
Employers pay a high price when an employee is involved in a car accident.
One national safety organization last year estimated that more than 40,000 people were killed in vehicle crashes and more than 4.5 million people were injured seriously enough to require medical care. The cost of caring for those injured totaled more than $413 billion. Yes, that’s 413 with a “b.” And, believe it or not, this figure is lower than it was in 2016.
Business owners should be aware that, when it comes to crashes involving employees, they are paying a huge cost if one of their employees is injured. The National Safety Council (NSC) notes that off-the-job vehicle accidents consume some 80 percent of employer healthcare benefit costs. According to the NSC, the economic toll of a fatal accident is more than $1 million per death; the costs of a non-fatal accident involving an injury is $78,000 per injured person. Employers pay a significant portion including health benefits and lost time from work.
If you are a business owner in Colorado, this should concern you considering that last year the state saw 600 fatal crashes and an untold number of injuries. As stated earlier, the loss of life is devasting, but employee injuries can also be financially devastating for a business of any size. Because of the costs associated with auto accidents in Colorado, some businesses are going the extra mile by offering employees defensive driving courses, whether they drive on the job or not. For those employees who do drive on the job, such courses are extremely beneficial as it can control liability costs and reduce insurance costs. For those who don’t drive on the job, such courses can reinforce safety measures already learned and provide additional road safety techniques which could decrease the possibility of a traffic accident.
Alcohol, Speeding, and Distracted Driving Main Causes of Traffic Accidents
There are three major factors in car accidents — alcohol impairment, speeding, and distracted driving, all of which are avoidable by drivers committed to keeping roadways safe. In 2016 alone, more than 24,000 lives were lost due to these behaviors.
Regardless if you work for yourself or someone else, doing your part to avoid a crash is imperative. The cost associated with serious injuries following an auto accident can be astronomical. And worse, the ultimate cost of an accident could be your life.