The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) has launched a free online toolkit to help employers plan for this year’s Drive Safely Work Week, set for Oct. 5-9.

This year’s Twitter-ready theme is: “#PlanAhead – Your Key to Driving Safely.” The campaign is aimed at improving the safety of employees, their family members and their communities. You can download the free toolkit here.

“The free DSWW toolkit provides easy-to-use Web-based resources, including facts and tips, downloadable graphics, and activities tailored for each day of the campaign week,” NETS said.

Materials underscore how planning may be the most critical leg of any driving trip, whether the journey takes place on the job or off. The campaign, emphasizing the importance of advance preparation, offers resources to help drivers become better planners for both business and personal travel.

“Planning is critical to safe driving from many different perspectives,” explained Joe McKillips, chairperson of NETS and director of commercial environment, health and safety for healthcare company Abbott. “It can be as simple as planning the best route. Other times it can mean planning for a designated driver, setting aside time with your teen driver to practice or talking to an older family member about the possibility of limiting their driving. These considerations and more are covered in this year’s campaign materials.”

NETS developed the campaign using the expertise of member companies, which collectively represent a fleet of more than half a million vehicles that travel more than 11 billion miles globally each year. Actionable steps are provided to help drivers perform their best behind the wheel.

In addition to materials for all employees, the toolkit provides resources geared toward management to assist in the development of safe-driving guidelines and policies.

According to NETS, the 2015 DSWW campaign’s daily areas of emphasis will help employees to:

• Remember to take time to plan the journey – even those that feel routine

• Prepare for driving situations that take you into unfamiliar areas

• Take precautions to ensure you’re driving with a clear head

• Learn to navigate the changes we all experience as we age and how they may affect driving

• Think through ways to plan ahead for driving situations that involve family members.

Click here to download the toolkit.