¹û¶³´«Ã½

Brought to you by Sentry Insurance

As an employer, how do you find the most responsible drivers and help ensure they follow safety procedures when they’re on the job?

Here are a few steps you can take to help identify red flags during the hiring process:
• Review every candidate’s motor vehicle record (MVR)
• Require criminal background checks for all candidates
• Confirm that each candidate has the qualifications and experience required for the position you’re considering them for

When you’ve hired your ideal driver, begin training them and reviewing guidelines they need to follow when they’re on the road.
Write a safety policy that includes:
• Required qualifications and responsibilities for drivers
• A list of permitted drivers of company-owned vehicles
• Restrictions on using mobile devices while driving
• Clear communication that the use of drugs and alcohol is prohibited while driving

Your written safety policy should also include instructions for:
• Vehicle operation safety and best practices
• Accident reporting and investigation procedures
• Post-accident drug and alcohol testing
• Disciplinary actions for unacceptable driver conduct and performance

Update your safety policy each year and provide all drivers with a copy to review. Require each driver to sign a statement acknowledging they received the written policy, read it, understood the guidelines, and agreed to follow the requirements.

As an extra safety precaution, consider telematics technology to alert you to driver conduct.

Telematics technology is a great tool to learn how your drivers are operating vehicles. You can choose from many cost-effective options like cellphone apps, onboard plug-in devices, and windshield tags. These devices typically provide real-time alerts when they detect risky behaviors like speeding, hard-braking, or erratic maneuvering.

Once you’ve chosen the right technology for your business, you’ll need to assign responsibility for managing your improvement process, communicate the new process to your drivers, and create a way to track driver results and measure their improvement.

Remember: “By recruiting safety-conscious drivers—and actively managing their performance—you demonstrate that you take safe driving seriously, and you expect them to do the same.”

Consult your legal team, human resources department, and safety experts to ensure you comply with laws and regulations regarding, among other things, your specific hiring, safety training, and telematics situations and processes.

Troy Tepp is a Director of Safety Services at Sentry Insurance. Learn more at

| Member since 1974