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Are Your Employees Driven to Safety?

Adam Groff

May 09, 2014

Whether your small business uses one company car or an entire fleet of vehicles, it's important to make sure your employees are safe drivers.

If your workers have poor driving records or numerous speeding tickets, it could cost your business money down the road.

Here are just a number of pointers to keep in mind when hiring employees that get behind the wheel for your business:

Poor Driving Habits

Although it varies from one person to the next, generally speaking, if a potential employee has a poor driving record, it usually means he or she has poor driving habits.

So, when hiring employees who are also going to drive for your business, it's wise to let their driving history give you a glimpse into their driving future.

If a candidate seems like a great fit for your business and the position calls for driving on a daily basis, make sure their record is clean.

Multiple wrecks, traffic violations, or traffic citations such as speeding tickets should act as a warning sign that the potential employee is a hazardous driver, which is never good for your business.

Insurance Rates

If you are a business owner who relies on drivers to run your business, then chances are you have company car insurance.

Did you know that your employees' driving records could affect your insurance rates? It's true, if a potential or current employee has points on their record, it could raise your rates.

So, when researching potential employees or brushing up on your current employees' motor vehicle records, keep in mind that fewer accidents and traffic violations means lower premiums and reduced deductibles.

And remember, a better business in car financing goes hand-in-hand with safe employee drivers and affordable company car insurance.

Liability

The most important aspect of staffing your business with good drivers is in the unfortunate event of a car accident.

Regardless of whether you have company car insurance or not, business owners are generally held responsible for third party injuries caused by employee drivers.

Because of this, it's your job to ensure your drivers are safe and responsible, especially while driving on the job.

Research is your first line of defense as a business owner when it comes to protecting your company against lawsuits.

If any of your employees are incompetent, unqualified, or unlicensed to drive your company's vehicles or any other vehicle, you will be held accountable for any damages done.

What to Look For in a Good Driver

If you have employees who drive on the clock for your business, then you need to find the most qualified drivers possible.

This means not only getting written consent from current and potential employees to access their motor vehicle records, but also making sure all driving employees are licensed to drive your vehicles.

Even if your employees are licensed and their motor vehicle records are clean, that doesn't mean accidents won't happen.

So, make sure your employees take the proper driving tests required to drive you company cars. Lightweight vans, trucks, and even some specially equipped cars require separate driving classifications and licenses.

By keeping in mind the tips above, your business and its employees will steer clear of any driving hazards.

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