Written by Metro Boston Insurance Agency on Feb 3, 2016
Whether you run a business that employs drivers or simply have employees who commute, the safety of your workers while on the road has a large impact on your bottom line. According to the United States department of Labor, a fatal car accident occurs every 12 minutes. Non-fatal accidents cost employers over $60 billion annually between medical costs and lost productivity. Setting up a safe driving program with your employees can help save lives, as well as protect company liabilities from crashes that occur on company time.
Management Commitment
As with any program put into place within a company, it starts with management. Management is responsible for setting and maintaining policies as well as communicating them to employees.
Written Policies
One essential step is to post written statements emphasizing the company’s commitment to the safety of workers. For example, set up policies that deal with alcohol consumption or drug use and state the consequences of breaking these safety rules.
Driver Agreement
You must set up written agreements with drivers who drive on company time whether they drive their own vehicles or company cars. These agreements should include rules and expectations for the driver while on company time as well as the agreement that they will maintain a good driving record and follow driving laws.
Vehicle Maintenance
When selecting a vehicle to be used as a company car, safety features should be considered. Vehicles should be properly maintained and inspected periodically to help prevent accidents from happening. Any personal vehicles that are used by employees during company time are the responsibility of the employee to keep properly and safely maintained. Encourage this, as it may be detrimental to the safety of your employees.
Consequences and Rewards
While you need to discipline employees that break any of the driving safety rules that you set up, you should also put together a set of rewards and incentives to encourage employees to follow all the rules in the agreement.
At Metro Boston Insurance Agency, we understand the importance of driving safety when it comes to your employees. Call us today at 617.884.5480 for more information on our policies.