Risk & Business Magazine Sterling Insurance Fall 2017 | Page 7

DRIVER TRAINING
BY: CRAIG DEAN
STERLING INSURANCE
The Ins And Outs Of
Driver Training and Qualification
C
ar crashes occur once every 5
seconds. Fatal crashes occur
about every 15 minutes.
The road, like it or not, is
an unpredictable place. For
businesses who employ drivers and have
a fleet of vehicles (regardless of size) for
use in business related activities, putting
people and equipment on the road is not
something to be taken lightly. The fact of
the matter is, obtaining a driver’s license
and the ability to get behind the wheel of a
vehicle simply isn’t enough in many cases.
Further, driving and being responsible
for a commercial vehicle is an entirely
different situation than being responsible
for and driving a personal one.
The fleet you own is a crucial area of
concern because it is a representation of
significant financial exposure. Not only
is it a large expense outright, it is also an
exposure to potential litigation. Any “at
fault” accidents with injury could lead to
your company being pursued for damages.
Since insurance companies have suffered
from huge auto claims, they take fleet
safety programs very seriously.
Fleet safety begins with the hiring process.
Companies who don’t take the time to
review the MVR, MVDC, and employment
history of their applicants are rolling
the dice on the future of their company.
Candidates should be screened for drugs,
alcohol, and driving ability (through a road
test). Just because a driver is experienced
does not mean they are a safe driver, or
even a good one.
Establish a culture of safety which
extends all the way from the owner and
upper management down to the drivers
themselves. It is essential that it becomes
ingrained in the employees if it is to
be successful. To do this, find ways to
quantify progress. For example, recording
accidents per miles driven or hours/miles
driven without incidents. Further, consider
providing incentives to drivers which are
tied directly to safety.
By getting upper management involved, you
are better able to communicate the state of
safety in the company as a whole. Signage
and communication can be posted around
the workplace which tells drivers how long
it has been since an at-fault accident. This
increases awareness. Taking that a step
further, quarterly fleet safety meetings
should be held during which incident
reports can be reviewed and measures can
be taken for future prevention.
Finally, a word about distracted driving.
Again, all it takes is one incident. Taking
a sip of a drink, a quick glance out the
window, changing the radio station,
or taking a call could be the trigger for
something much larger. It is important
to know the most dangerous situations
to become distracted in as well: when at
intersections, going around curves, near
pedestrians, near cyclists, or in fast moving
lines of traffic (which don’t allow adequate
room to stop).
I’ve been insuring beverage distributors
and other companies with large auto and
trucking fleets for over 20 years. In that
time, I’ve seen just about everything that
can happen. I’d love to help you get your
fleet safety protocols and driver training
programs up to snuff. If you would like
more information or want to have a quick
chat, contact Craig Dean. +
Craig Dean has handled commercial
insurance programs for over 20 years. He has
international clients in the manufacturing,
distributing, property management, and
technology sectors. Craig utilizes a process
that improves his clients’ risk profiles,
which ultimately is reflected in lower
insurance costs. Reach him today: cdean@
sterlingagency.com, or [phone].
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