Every year, motor vehicle accidents at work cost employers $60 billion in medical care, legal expenses, property damage and lost productivity. What’s worse is that our hard workers are seriously injured and unable to work as a result. The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) lists the following steps employers can take to build a safe driving program in the workplace:
• Request involvement from both management and employees: senior management involvement is extremely important for setting and enforcing safe driving habits in workers. As a supervisor, encourage employee participation.
• Have written policies: create, clear, easy to follow driving safety policies and communicate them clearly and often to your employees. Discuss the policies on cell phone use while driving, zero-tolerance for alcohol or drug consumption during company hours, and the mandatory use of seat belts.
• Create driver-agreement contracts: establish a contract with all employees who drive for work acknowledging awareness and understanding of safety police, procedures and expectations for driver performance.
• Perform driving record checks: check your employees’ driving records on a regular basis. Clearly define the number of violations each employee has and determine the appropriate consequences as well as ways to avoid future violations.
• Report crashes: immediately report crashes to the employee’s supervisor, regardless of severity. Each crash needs to be reviewed to determine their cause and whether or not the crashes were preventable.
• Implement a disciplinary system: develop a system that prosecutes any violators who have multiple counts. Those who develop a pattern of reckless driving habits should be disciplined to some degree.
• Conduct driver training: make it mandatory for each employee to participate in a driver training course. Those with multiple offenses should be required to repeat the course.
• Keep company vehicles in working order: make sure the company vehicles are properly maintained and ready for treacherous weather of any kind. A mechanic should come and inspect vehicles periodically.
If you’ve been injured on the job, contact our experienced workers’ comp attorneys to file your claim now.
Source: Safety and Health Magazine
Mr. Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP. He has become a noted consumer activist through his representation of injured individuals against corporate wrongdoers and irresponsible parties.
An accomplished litigator, Mr. Finkelstein has represented Plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has successfully handled dozens of multi-million dollar cases.