Does your company need a safe driving policy?
If you own a business, it’s important to be clear about what type of behavior is expected of your employees when they get behind the wheel.
At the very least, you’ll want employees to be aware of the need to follow any federal and state driving laws, such as buckling up. Beyond that, you may want to spell out not only safe driving behaviors but what you definitely don’t want them doing while driving. Once you’ve put together a plan, provide each employee with your driving rules and consider having them sign the document to indicate that they understand what’s expected of them behind the wheel. Here are some suggestions:
Wear seat belts. All drivers and passengers must use them. Seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% and cut the risk of serious injury by 50% for front-seat passengers,
Limit cell phone use on the road. This is a no-brainer, but it’s so important if your employees are driving to customers or work sites. To be safe, you may want to make it clear to employees that they are not to talk on a cell phone or text while they are driving on business. If they need to use the phone, they should safely pull of the road or if your company permits it, use a ‘hands-free’ device. Know that studies show that even a hands-free call can slow your reaction time while driving.
Let voicemail do its work. Let employees know you do not want them to initiate calls while they are driving or answer any incoming calls. Let them know that all incoming calls – even from the boss – go to voicemail while driving.
Ban distracted driving. We all know that texting while driving is dangerous. But distracted driving – from talking on a cell phone to eating or drinking behind the wheel – causes thousands of injuries and deaths each year as well. So does shaving, putting on makeup and combing your hair from behind the wheel.
Promote courteous driving. Aggressive driving can lead to accidents. If your employees drive cars with your company’s name on them, make sure they know that rude driving can also cost your company business.
Risk management is one of the greatest challenges for any business. Yet due to its complexity and the enormous job of running a company, many business owners don’t effectively manage a wide array of risks. That’s where Accurate Protection steps in. We work directly with our clients, helping to identify business risks and providing the resources and insurance coverage needed to mitigate those risks. We don’t only offer commercial insurance, such as auto coverage. We help you integrate the right types of insurance into an effective overall risk management plan.
