2017 April | Page 3

53 Million Vehicles
Recalled in 2016 How Your Business Pays for
Employee Substance Abuse
Statistics released by the Department of
Transportation (DOT) revealed that
automakers issued recalls for a record 53
million vehicles in 2016. This marks the
third straight year that there have been
over 50 million vehicle recalls. A recent survey from the National Safety Council (NSC) has revealed
a gap between employer perceptions and the reality of employee
substance abuse. According to the survey, addictions and substance
use disorders can cost businesses between $2,600 and $13,000 for
each affected employee. However, only 24 percent of employers
believe that drug misuse is a problem that impacts their bottom
lines.
A majority of the recalls were due to
ongoing issues with airbag inflators
manufactured by Takata, a Japanese auto
part supplier. At least 16 deaths have
been attributed to the malfunctioning
inflators, which led to a recall of over 42
million U.S. vehicles since 2013. Takata
recently pleaded guilty to a felony charge
as part of a $1 billion agreement with the
Justice Department that also includes
financial compensation for automakers
and victims of the malfunctions.
The high number of recalls in recent years
has been accompanied by an increase in
highway fatalities. According to the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), fatalities rose by
7.2 percent in 2015, the latest year for
which data is available. Although the
NHTSA has yet to release its full set of
data for 2016, preliminary reports from
the NSC indicate that the number of
fatalities continued to rise.
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Employees who abuse alcohol and other substances are more likely
to miss work, be less productive and experience higher health care
costs. Here are some facts from the survey that highlight the ways
that substance abuse can affect your business:
• Substance use disorders and addictions cost businesses and
taxpayers more than $440 billion every year.
• Employees in the construction, entertainment, recreation
and food service industries are twice as likely to have a
substance use disorder compared to the average U.S.
employee.
• Health care costs for employees who misuse prescription
drugs are three times higher than for other workers.
• Employees with a substance use disorder miss nearly 50
percent more days of work than their peers.
• Seventy-five percent of all adults with a substance use
disorder are currently in the workforce.
If you believe that one of your employees suffers from a substance
use disorder, it’s in your best interest to help him or her get
treatment. Experts have shown that outside concern is a large factor
in getting individuals with substance use disorders into treatment.
Additionally, the NSC survey found that businesses can save up to
$8,400 by providing assistance to these employees.