ITASCA, IL – Corporate sales have been brisk for the National Safety Council's (NSC) recently released Distracted Driving Resource Kit, according to a council spokesperson. Since its introduction in early March, 200 companies have ordered the kit, which helps companies establish "no cell phone/safe driving policies."

Availability of the new NSC resource comes amid a heightened corporate interest in improving safe driving habits among employees, according to Meredith Morris, NSC communications manager. Based on an increasing amount of corporate inquiries to the NSC for advice and recommendations, "there appears to be a groundswell of movement" among U.S. companies in the issue, said Morris.

Driver inattention is a leading cause of traffic crashes, responsible for about 80 percent of all collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). "Considering crashes are the number-one cause of accidental death in the U.S., it is important to pay close attention to our driving habits and those of other drivers," the NSC advocates.

The Distracted Driving Resource Kit helps employers communicate the risks of using hand-held and hands-free communication devices while driving. It also helps companies create and implement individualized distracted driving policies and present them in a positive manner, according to the NSC.

 The kit includes a suggested timeline for implementing policies company-wide and introducing related new procedures. The kit, available on CD, includes an array of electronic resources, including:

• A "call to action" for a distracted driving policy.

• Template distracted driving policy.

• Informational article on the risks associated with distracted driving.

• The top ten reasons for a no-cell driving policy.

• Posters.

• Tips for distraction-free driving.

• A one-hour training program on distracted driving (includes Instructor Guide, Participant Guide, and PowerPoint presentation).

• Distracted Driving Safety pamphlets.

"When you're on a call, even if both hands are on the wheel, your head is in the call and not on your driving. Research shows that drivers are four times more likely to be involved in a crash while talking on a cell phone," said John Ulczycki, group vice president - Research, Communication & Advocacy for the NSC. "With the kit's resources, including its policy documents, companies of all sizes can start to change the way their employees think about using cell phones and other messaging devices behind the wheel."

Other NSC safer-driving corporate resources include the council's state and regional chapters' classroom, online, and self-study defensive driving courses that can lower operating expenses. A Dynamics of Fleet Safety program can assist in developing a full fleet program for employee drivers.

The Distracted Driving Resource Kit is priced at $39.95 for NSC members and $49.95 for non-members. More information is available at www.nsc.org/product.