Oklahoma City-based Dolese Bros. Co. was recently recognized by the National Safety Council with an Exemplary distinction award for its efforts to reduce the number of accidents occurring on Oklahoma roads. Dolese was one of two Oklahoma employers to receive the inaugural Our Driving Concern Oklahoma Employer Traffic Safety Awards for the Exemplary distinction.

“We are honored to be recognized as a leader in safety,” Dolese President and CEO Mark Helm said. “This achievement is the direct result of each and every employee’s commitment and focus on making safety a personal value.”

The awards were presented in partnership with the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and the Oklahoma Safety Council at the Oklahoma Safety and Health Conference in Oklahoma City. The seven recipients emerged from a diverse pool of applicants and were evaluated by employee education, training and other traffic safety initiatives. The categories were Exemplary, Award and Honorable Mention.

According to the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office, nearly 200 crashes occur every day and more than 650 people are killed on Oklahoma roads each year.

In 2014, Dolese implemented in-cab video cameras and sensor system to their fleet which has reduced accidents company-wide, and more importantly in the communities where Dolese operates. The cameras activate when a driver brakes too quickly, turns too sharply, swerves or accelerates too fast. This tool is used as a coaching tool to improve driver safety, not to punish drivers. Employees receive recognition and awards for reaching safe driving goals.

This effort has shown great results. In 2018, the number of coachable events for the company were at an all-time low.

“Our drivers take pride in their work and are keeping safety top of mind,” Dolese Occupational Health and Safety Director David Finley said. “Their proactive safety behavior is resulting in less incidents and fewer days of work missed due to injuries.” Additionally, Dolese actively works to implement trainings and other programs to enhance their drive toward safety.

“This recognition is a morale boost for our employees who are making a conscious effort to keep themselves, their peers, our customers and the traveling public safe,” Helm said. “This distinction acknowledges that we are making progress toward achieving our goals and offers us a challenge to continue improving.”