FLEET SAFETY
The Importance Of Fleet Safety And Maintenance
Anyone who does a lot of driving knows how unpredictable the roads can be. They also know how expensive vehicles can be to operate and how bad the consequences of accidents can become. For businesses that do hauling, general transportation, or other on-the-road commerce, fleet safety should be a high priority. Alleviating potential liabilities and protecting against damages is not only important for employees but also for the business as a whole. When automotive-related accidents cause losses, they are often huge losses.
Fleet safety begins and ends in two areas: drivers and equipment. First up are the drivers. They need to be thoroughly vetted before being hired, and trained adequately for the positions that they will hold. A key idea to keep in mind during this process is that experienced drivers are not always safe drivers. In fact, the more confident drivers become in their abilities, the more often they may be tempted to cut corners in order to complete a given task. That isn’ t good for the employee or for the business. Regular performance evaluations should be done as well as regular training updates to ensure policy compliance.
Equipment should be covered as well. It’ s entirely plausible that your vehicles and equipment will be the most expensive
things your company purchases. They should be covered in that way as well. Physical-damage coverage should be applied to all equipment in addition to other associated insurance. Maintenance logs should be maintained. Regular checks, inspections, and maintenance should be performed on the vehicles as well.
To bolster the protections on drivers and equipment, a thorough fleet safety plan and associated insurance policies should be put in place. Not only will this keep drivers on their toes( and keep management apprised of the safety situation) but it will also help to limit liabilities and losses. Finding the right policies on your own isn’ t always the easiest thing to do, so it’ s recommended that you work with a professional who handles fleet coverage on a regular basis. Generally, rates will be based on past losses and the record of the company and drivers on the payroll( as well as the value of the equipment on hand).
Finally, keep accurate and thorough records of everything. This means keeping personnel reports and records of incidents that occur. It also means you need to be tracking things like mileage, repairs, and maintenance work and everything else related to the fleet and its drivers. If a claim is made, having complete records is essential to a quick resolution.
Don’ t let yourself or your company fall victim to huge losses stemming from your vehicles or drivers. Such losses are often large enough to put an unprotected company out of business. Take the steps now to protect yourself in the future. For more information or a thorough review of your current fleet safety protocols, contact us. +
BY: LISA BERTRAM
Lisa Bertram began her insurance career at Greenwald Insurance Agency on June 1, 1994. She started working on personal lines but always had a special interest in the trucking industry. Her husband, Gary, is a life-long trucker and Lisa has handled all of his bookwork during the 34 years they’ ve been married. With her very personal knowledge of trucking, she took a special interest in learning all she could about insuring trucking risks. She currently handles all of our trucking accounts. Lisa can be reached at 320-987- 3223 or Lisa @ greewaldinsurance. com
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