Staff travel

Challenge

Many nonprofit people drive as a part of their job. They have to get to work sites or around to see clients. Volunteers may transport people to appointments and more. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of work-related deaths and injuries. Preventing accidents in cars and other motor vehicles is important to keeping people safe.

Actions

The actions your organization can take will depend on whether you manage a fleet of vehicles or if you rely on employees’ personal vehicles. Your organization might consider implementing the following items and/or determining other policies and procedures for your specific travel situations.

• Written policies and procedures, such as:
  • Alcohol and drug use policy
  • Seat belt use policy
  • Distracted driving policy
  • Defensive driving policy
• Driver agreements: Get employee agreement on traffic safety policies, procedures, expectations about driver performance, vehicle maintenance, and reporting of moving violations.
• Motor vehicle record checks: Check the driving records of employees who drive for work purposes.
• Crash reporting and investigation: Establish a crash reporting process.
• Vehicle maintenance: Encourage employees to maintain their cars with safety in mind. Ensure that company vehicles get regular maintenance.
• Disciplinary action system: Develop a policy about how you will respond if an employee receives a moving violation or experiences a preventable crash.
• Reward/incentive program: Implement a program that makes safe driving an integral part of your safety culture.
• Driver training: Provide appropriate driving training as needed.
• Regulatory compliance: Determine which highway safety regulations govern your vehicles.

Resources

• OSHA Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes
• Nonprofit Risk Management Center articles
• Before You Hit the Road: Stepping Stones of Driver Safety
• Safety is Not a Luxury: Understanding the Risks of Passenger Vans