DRIVER ELIGIBILITY

Where the Rubber Meets the Road - Car crashes are the number one cause of workplace injury and death, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Accidents cost America's employers some $50 billion a year. Establishing a meaningful, effective and realistic driver selection & qualification program is a vital component to the operation of any motor vehicle fleet, whether it is a coast to coast interstate operation or a small incidental fleet of sales vehicles. By placing sufficient emphasis on selecting the best available driver, a company helps to avoid future financial losses resulting from accidents and abuse of vehicles.

The driver evaluation & eligibility process should include several steps such as:

• Driver’s application form
• Interview
• Drivers license verification
• Reference check
• Motor vehicle record (MVR) review
• Physical examination
• Road test
• Written test (optional)

• Personally check and review the applicant’s driver’s license to determine if he/she is qualified and license to operate the type of vehicle(s) in your fleet.
• Check the classes listed on the license as well as any restrictions and the expiration date.

MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD CHECKS
REVIEWING MOTOR VEHICLE RECORDS (MVRs)

Some states do not require insurance carriers to pay for punitive damages which could be awarded to victims caused by a company driver. If the driver has a poor driver history, suspended license, or evidence of driving under the influence, etc., these are tools the prosecuting attorney can use against the defense.

Studies show that 70% to 75% of all drivers on the road, including truck drivers, have zero or one moving violation or accidents in any given 36 month period. Having two or more violations and/or at fault accidents is not “normal” and indicates increased exposure to accidents. These drivers present a significantly greater risk to your company because they are more likely to be involved in a vehicular accident than those with no traffic violations.

PIIC recommends that as a minimum, companies should develop a formal policy regarding Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) evaluation criteria. Please be certain that you adhere to the Fair Credit Report Act and have potential employees sign the Disclosure Agreement Form (Disclosure Under Fair Credit Report Act_3600.doc).

MVR’s that fall into the borderline category in the chart below should be reviewed more frequently. The policy should make it mandatory for all drivers to inform management of any license suspensions immediately. MVR’s should be pulled as part of the new hire selection process and rechecked for all employees on at least an annual basis. This covers those employees who would be classified as occasional drivers and those operating personal vehicles on company business. The following is an example of a Grading System:

Sample Grading Criteria

Minor Violations – This category includes any moving violation other than a major except: motor vehicle equipment, load or size requirement; improper failure to display license plates; failure to sign or display registration; and failure to have a driver’s license in possession.

Major Violations – This category includes driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; failure to stop and report an accident; reckless driving; racing or speeding contests; driving while impaired; making a false accident report; homicide, manslaughter or assault arising out of the use of a vehicle; driving while license is suspended or revoked; railroad crossing violations, and attempting to elude a police officer. Of particular importance is that convictions for major violations that drivers are convicted of in personal or non-commercial vehicles now are counted the same as those while operating commercial motor vehicles (CMV’s).

PIC has created a MVR Analysis Form that when completed with the appropriate MVR information, will tell you “Yes” or “No” as to whether or not the driver is eligible to drive: (MVA Analysis)

MVR Analysis.xls

Policyholders can obtain MVR’s from any of a number of pre-employment screening companies and state agencies. Drivers with poor evaluations should be subject to loss of driving privileges. Road observation programs that supplement the MVR reviews with 1-800 phone call in programs that generate timely management reports are also available.

For more information on Driver Eligibility (Driver Eligibilty_4400.doc) Driver Selection (Driver Selection Program 2200.doc), or Driver Safety, or Driver Road Testing Procedures (Driver Road Testing Procedures.doc), or any additional safety information, please log on to our loss control website and register at www.losscontrol.com