When it comes to employee safety, driving company vehicles can cause business owners an additional source of anxiety.
If you use company vehicles for your business, you want to be sure that every person is driving in a safe, responsible manner.
To ensure the safety of the people who drive your cars, follow these helpful safe driving tips that will keep your workers and others on the road secure.
Create a Seatbelt Policy
Everyone knows that seatbelts save lives, but not everyone follows this rule. To make sure your workers are safe while they drive, create a seatbelt policy.
Let your employees know that they must wear their seatbelt whenever they get behind the wheel of a company vehicle. Be clear that this policy doesn’t just apply to the drivers, but it also applies to passengers, too.
When you wear a seatbelt, you reduce the chances of a serious injury if you’re involved in an accident. Be conscious of your employees’ driving habits and pay attention to see if they buckle up every time they get behind the wheel.
Safe Driving Tips and Vehicle Maintenance
Vehicles that are not properly maintained can actually pose a serious risk on the road. Ensure that everyone who drives a company vehicle is following a pre-set maintenance schedule.
It’s not just oil changes that should be done on your vehicles. Regular brake inspections should also be performed to ensure that each car has a braking system in good working condition.
Other crucial items to include in your company vehicle maintenance plan are the tires. Have the tires checked every month for pressure levels and balancing. When tires have uneven tread wear, they can cause a blowout and sometimes a serious accident.
Create a scheduling spreadsheet and make sure each vehicle goes in for service as recommended. This simple tip will keep your investments in good working order and your employees safe when they drive.
Ride Along
If you really want to emphasize the importance of safe driving, perform random ride alongs with your employees. Not only will this practice keep everyone on their toes, but it will also give you insight as to your workers’ driving habits.
Don’t tell people when you plan to come along for the ride. Simply do this unannounced at random so that all drivers are on their toes and conscious of their personal driving habits.
Take note of how your employees drive so you can make constructive suggestions on how they can improve. This is a smart way to gauge how people are behaving when they drive your vehicles, and it gives you a chance to come up with new ideas for improvement.
Enforce a Zero Tolerance Policy
There are some things that simply cannot be tolerated when it comes to driving a company vehicle. First, let your employees know that they will be terminated if they’re charged with reckless driving. You can use this article to explain the consequences of reckless driving so people understand the implications.
Another item to add to your zero-tolerance policy is driving under the influence. People who drive while drunk or under the influence of drugs pose a serious risk to others, and it could put your entire company in jeopardy.
You should also be clear that using a cell phone while driving is unacceptable. This might be difficult if people need to take business-related calls, so try to have vehicles with hands-free Bluetooth options.
Using a company vehicle is a privilege and not a right. Let your employees know that they’re allowed to use your assets to get their jobs done, and if they act irresponsibly, it could result in termination.
Keep Your Insurance Up to Date
To protect yourself, your workers, and your business, you need to be sure that your auto insurance is constantly up to date. Check on the policy terms and conditions to find out when your policy needs to be renewed.
Give every vehicle a copy of the insurance card, and have workers put it in the glove box. Re-visit your insurance policy on occasion to make sure you have the coverage you think you need.
In addition to monitoring your insurance plan, you should also discuss what to do in the event of an accident with your employees. Draft a clear, concise plan so that everyone knows the process if a collision were to occur.
Tell everyone to call 911 immediately following an accident and to never leave the scene. If possible, ask them to take pictures of any damage before they leave.
Make sure you have proper liability insurance for the entire fleet of vehicles. Advise workers on the best practices if they do get into an auto accident.
When you have a solid insurance plan in place, you can protect yourself from losing money and being sued. Make sure your current insurance is giving you what you need, and change plans if you have to upgrade coverage.
Creating a Safe-Driving Workforce
With these simple safe driving tips, you’ll feel more confident whenever your workers get behind the wheel. Draft firm company policies and have everyone who drives sign off on them.
Express your concern about things like reckless driving or using a smartphone behind the wheel. When everyone is on the same page, you’ll be able to relax and let your employees drive in confidence.
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