In the United States, a motor vehicle accident occurs every five seconds. Some of these crashes involve company-owned motor vehicles, potentially creating liability issues and other headaches for the business that owns the car. Unfortunately, there is no way to guarantee that one of your company vehicles won’t ever have an accident. There are, however, steps you can take to reduce the risk of an accident and protect your company if one does happen.
Choose Cars Carefully
Once you’ve narrowed your purchase options to a few vehicles, remember to examine each choice for safety. Cars and trucks that perform well in crash tests and earn high safety ratings will help keep your employees and their cargo safe in an accident. Although they sometimes cost a bit extra, additional safety features such as blind spot detection and automatic emergency braking help reduce the risk of an accident and can save you money in the long run.
Choose Drivers Carefully
Don’t assume that a good employee is also a good driver. Before handing over the keys to a company vehicle, check the driving record of every potential driver. Think twice before putting a driver with a history of DUI’s, accidents and speeding tickets in the driver’s seat. Contact your insurance company, too, and ask them if these issues will negatively affect your coverage.
Get the Right Coverage
Company vehicles need different types of insurance coverage than personal vehicles. Always consult with a company car insurance provider before deciding on a policy. Commercial vehicle insurance protects you in instances where your personal car insurance won’t, like when you’re driving between job sites or transporting paying passengers. Having inadequate insurance coverage is a potentially costly mistake your business doesn’t want to make.
Don’t Skimp on Maintenance
When it comes to automobile maintenance, an ounce of prevention truly is better than a pound of cure. Schedule regular oil changes and maintenance checks for your company vehicles and make sure they’re done on time. Regular checkups let you fix potential problems before they cause accidents.
These steps are ones your business can take to protect its vehicles. but you can also encourage your employees to take steps of their own. Reward employees who remain accident-free or who voluntarily take a defensive driving course. In this way, both the company and its employees can take an active role in reducing the risk of car accidents on the job.
Meghan Belnap is a freelance writer who enjoys spending time with her family. She loves being in the outdoors and exploring new opportunities whenever they arise. Meghan finds happiness in researching new topics that help to expand her horizons. You can often find her buried in a good book or out looking for an adventure. You can connect with her on Facebook right here and Twitter right here.
