How safe are your delivery drivers?
If you have employees who need to drive as part of their job, looking after their safety is just good sense all round.
With the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating that fatal traffic accidents make up two out of every five fatal work injuries, it’s clear that your small business needs to pay attention to on the road safety.
What could it mean for your small business if your drivers aren’t safe? And what can you do to make them safer?
An Accident Spells Bad News for Your Business
Employee driving accidents are bad news for your small business.
If an employee is injured on the road, you’ll have to deal with insurance, and the headache of covering them while they’re out of action. That means a lot of hassle for your business, and lost working hours for a valuable member of your team.
Employee accidents can also damage your reputation as an employee and depending on the circumstances could impact the trust between you and your team.
An Accident Can Land Your Business in Court
There’s also the very real risk that you could get sued.
Whether you are libel for an employee accident or not will depend on a wide range of factors, but the hard truth is that you could end up in court and out of pocket.
There’s no doubt employee traffic accidents are bad news all round, so what can you do to help prevent them?
Train Your Employees on Road Safety
Road safety training will equip your team to handle the road without slipping into bad habits or engaging in unsafe behaviors.
For example, the article “How Can Your Florida Accident Attorney Prove That Texting Caused the Accident?” points out that more than 50 percent of drivers admit using a mobile phone while driving. Educate your employees on why such habits are dangerous.
Arrange regular training for your delivery drivers to make sure they’re up to date on the safest driving practices. You can even arrange quizzes or tests to make sure they know their stuff.
Keep Your Vehicles in Good Order
An unsafe vehicle is a hazard for your employees.
Make sure your delivery vehicles are kept in excellent shape with regular services. Arrange for simple but necessary checks such as oil and water, and tire pressure, on a regular basis.
Keep your vehicles maintained to a schedule.
Make sure everyone knows what needs doing, and who is responsible for doing it. Don’t leave vehicle safety to chance – make it part of your company policy.
Make Driving as Safe as Possible
Take the initiative to make driving as safe as possible for your employees.
Alongside training and vehicle maintenance, think carefully about route planning.
Make sure your employees get regular breaks from driving, and choose routes that offer the best driving conditions. Plan routes so that your employees won’t be rushed or on tight deadlines, as rushing will increase the risk of accidents.
It’s also a good idea to help your employees prepare for emergencies.
Equip your vehicles with emergency items such as warning triangles, flash lights, reflective jackets and blankets.
Ensure your drivers are backed up by good breakdown cover, and include the details in every vehicle.
Take good care of your employees and the vehicles you drive and make sure your small business is up to speed with road safety to prevent accidents and the associated costs.
About the Author: Tristan Anwyn writes on a variety of topics including social media, how to build customer relationships, content marketing and how to keep your employees safe while driving.