When you allow your employees to drive company cars, you expose your business to many potential risks. At any given moment, the potential for risk can turn into a situation where your business is financially responsible for an accident your employee caused.

With property damage from an accident estimates at $24,500 per crash and personal injury claims about $150,000 per incident, your business may take a huge financial hit from driving accidents.

There are measures your business can take to reduce the likelihood of an accident, and prevent the need to file claims on your commercial auto insurance policy.

Train Your Employees to Drive Safely

The fact that your employees have driver’s licenses doesn’t mean that they are safe drivers. With a comprehensive driver training program in place, your company can teach your employees how to drive safely to avoid accidents. Driver training can include:

• Highlighting the impact of distracted driving
• Underscoring the importance of wearing seatbelts at all times
• Measures employees can take to protect the company vehicle from reckless drivers

By providing all employees with the same type of training, they will know what you expect from them when they are behind the wheel. Not to mention, they will be provided with information pertaining to their safety they may not have known previously.

Educate Employees on Vehicle Maintenance

Problems arising from the vehicle can cause an accident while employees are driving. By educating each employee driver about mechanical issues that impact driving, your business reduces its potential for risks. You should have your employees check:

• Tire pressure
• Wiper blades
• Mirrors

Employees must alert the maintenance department when they encounter significant issues with their cars.

Eliminate Impaired Driving

None of your employees should be behind the wheel of your car while they are impaired. Most employees know they cannot drink and drive, but few consider the impact their medications have on their ability to drive. You should discourage employees from taking medications that will impair their ability to drive while they are working. If they absolutely have to take their medications, then you should reconsider allowing them to continue driving your vehicles.

Many businesses rely on employee drivers for the continued success of their business. Unfortunately, employees who drive may get into a crash, which can then increase the cost of your commercial auto insurance. With the appropriate measures, you can reduce the likelihood of an accident while your employees drive business-owned cars.