Writen By Guest Author: Stella Fin
When you’re on the road, you’re automatically prone to accidents. However, some people are more prone to road accidents than others and they are people who are employed as drivers. These include bus drivers, truck drivers, heavy vehicle drivers and delivery drivers and anyone who drives as part of their job. Here are some tips that both employers and employees can use for safe work related driving to minimize the likelihood of road accidents.
For Employers
- Control Driving Hours
It is an employer’s duty to control the daily driving hours by assigning tasks accordingly. The recommended limit for driving each day is 9 hours in total. Also, no driver must be required to drive more than 4 hours consecutively. A break after a few hours is necessary to prevent accidents and ensure the driver is alert at all times during driving.
- Avoid Tight Delivery Deadlines
Employers must make sure not to assign tight delivery deadlines to drivers as they may resort to rash driving, which increases the risks of accidents by many folds. Employers must assign each drivers tasks accordingly to ensure the business operations run smooth without any mishaps or accidents.
- Think of Alternative Arrangements
Is driving unavoidable? Can the meeting be done via telephone, video chat or any other way? Can you send someone on foot, or on bike? An employer must answer these questions to think of ways to avoid driving as it increases the risk of work related driving accidents.
- Ensure Insurance Coverage for Employees
Every state has laws for worker safety, thus employers should offer a workers compensation benefits program or insurance coverage to help employees in case of a work related injury. This works for the benefit of employees. An employer has the right to hire a work injury lawyer to file a lawsuit in case the employer denies benefits.
- Certificate for Good Condition for Vehicle
All employers must issue a written document that states that the vehicle is safe for driving. This especially is essential for vehicles that are older than three years. These documents should be revised and the vehicles should be investigated once a year to see whether they’re up to working standards.
For Drivers
- Follow Road Safety Rules
First and foremost, all employees must follow the prescribed road and driving safety rules. This includes not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, ensuring passengers are safe when a driver is behind the wheels, driving on a particular side of the road, rules for overtaking, driving in different weather conditions, etc.
- Know Emergency Measures
Drivers should know what actions to take in case of an emergency situation. E.g. in case of an accident or in case of vehicle failure, poor weather conditions, etc. You must have the knowledge of different routes, have some knowhow about the red signs in a vehicle so you can detect problems and have them sorted before they occur and cause accidents.
- Drive Within Speed Limits
The importance of driving within speed limits can never be overemphasized. As a driver, it is your responsibility to make sure you follow road safety rules and drive within the given speed limits, follow the signboards, not cross the red traffic sign, etc.
- Follow Instructions from Employer
It is very important to follow the route advised by the employer. This will help you and employer stay on the same page and will allow the employer to make necessary arrangements accordingly in case of emergency.
- Report Vehicle Defects
It is also important for you to report any defects in the vehicle to the immediate manager and make sure to not to drive that vehicle. Most employers will take action and cease the use of such a vehicle until it is safe for driving.
Work related injuries due to road accidents are common. It is important for both employer and employee to ensure that all safety precautions are taken to minimize the occurrence of unfortunate incidents which can result in huge losses for a business in form of vehicle costs, penalties and charges, poor traffic records, and high number of workers compensation claims.
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