Vehicle Safety Resources
Vehicle Safety Resources:
Member Agency Vehicle Usage Guidelines………… 3
MVR Review Method ………….……………………. 7
Three Year Driver Evaluation Profile ……….…….. 8
Accident Preventability Review Resource Guide …. 9
Driver Rules………….………………………………. 13
Road Test Resource…………………………………. 16
Alcohol and Drug Free Workplace Policy ……….. 18
Substance Abuse Policy ………………………. 21
Drug and Alcohol Testing Procedures ……….. 22
Agency Vehicle Usage Guidelines
Overview:
As a driver of a county vehicle, the authorized driver has been given certain privileges. He/she assumes the duty of obeying all motor vehicle laws, maintaining the vehicle properly at all times and, otherwise, following the policies and procedures outlined in the following.
Vehicle Purpose:
Vehicles are provided to support business activities and are to be used only by qualified and authorized employees. They are not to be considered a part of an employee’s compensation and must not be used as an inducement for employment. In all cases, the vehicles are to be operated in strict compliance with Missouri motor vehicle laws and with the utmost regard for their care and cost-efficient use.
Driver Licensing:
Drivers authorized to drive the vehicles must have a valid driver’s license for the class of vehicle being operated and must be able to drive the vehicle. Obtaining a driver’s license is a personal expense.
Driver Qualifications:
Driver qualifications are as follows:
1. Authorized employee or volunteer of the member agency.
2. Must have a minimum of 3 years of driving experience.
3. Have at least one year of experience in the class of vehicle being operated.
4. Must meet licensing requirements.
5. Will not qualify to drive a vehicle if, during the last 36 months, the driver had any of the following experiences:
• Been convicted of a felony.
• Been convicted of the sale, handling or use of drugs.
• Had vehicle insurance cancelled, declined or non-renewed by a company.
• Been convicted of an alcohol or drug related offense while driving.
• Had their driver’s license suspended or revoked.
6. If the vehicle requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL), then the driver must posses a valid CDL with the appropriate endorsements for the type of vehicle being operated.
Review of Motor Vehicle Record:
State Motor Vehicle Records (MVR’s) will be used as the source for verifying driver history. MVR’s will be obtained and reviewed at least annually. Driving privileges may be withdrawn or suspended and/or the entity vehicles removed for any authorized driver not meeting the above requirements. In addition, appropriate disciplinary action may be taken.
Personal Use:
Member agency vehicles are provided for business purposes; however, occasional personal use is permitted, but very limited. Personal use is a privilege extended only to the authorized employee. The privilege of personal use may be withdrawn at any time without notice by the member agency.
The following rules apply to personal use of member agency vehicles:
1. Only an authorized employee may drive.
2. Personal trailers, including boat and recreational vehicles, are not to be pulled.
3. The vehicle is not to be driven while under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance.
4. Possession, transportation or consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs by anyone in the vehicle is not allowed.
5. The driver and all passengers must wear the available personal restraints.
6. Report any accident immediately to local law enforcement and your supervisor.
Any exception to these rules requires advance, written approval by your supervisor. Violations of these rules will result in disciplinary action from removal of driving privileges up to and including job termination.
Traffic Violations:
Fines for parking or moving violations are the personal responsibility of the assigned driver. The member agency will not condone nor excuse ignorance of traffic citations that result in court summons being directed to itself as owner of the vehicle.
Each driver is required to report all moving violations to their immediate supervisor within 24 hours. This requirement applies to violations involving the use of any vehicle (member agency, personal, or other) while on entity business. Failure to report violations will result in appropriate disciplinary action.
Please be aware that traffic violations incurred during non-business (personal use) hours will affect your driving privileges and are subject to annual review.
Accidents Involving County Vehicles:
In the event of an accident:
1. Do not admit negligence or liability.
2. Do not attempt settlement, regardless of how minor the incident.
3. Get the name, address, and phone number of any injured person and witnesses, if possible.
4. Exchange vehicle identification, insurance information, including a policy number with the other driver.
5. Take a photograph at the scene of the accident, if possible.
6. Call the police to report the incident.
7. Complete the accident report in your vehicle glove box.
8. Turn all information over to your immediate supervisor within 24 hours.
Thefts:
In the event of a county vehicle being stolen, you should notify local law enforcement immediately.
Driver Responsibilities:
Each driver is responsible for the actual possession, care and use of the county vehicle in their possession. Therefore, driver responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
1. Operation of the vehicle in a manner consistent with reasonable practices that avoid abuse, theft, neglect or disrespect of the equipment.
2. Obeying all traffic laws.
3. The use of seat belts and shoulder harness is mandatory for the driver and any passengers.
4. Adhering to the manufacture’s recommendations regarding service, maintenance and inspection. Vehicles should not be operated with any defect that would prevent safe operation.
5. Attention to and practice of safe driving techniques and adherence to current safety requirements.
6. Restricting the use of vehicles to authorized drivers only.
7. Reporting the occurrence of moving violations.
8. Accurate, comprehensive and timely reporting of all accidents by an authorized driver to their immediate supervisor.
Failure to comply with any of these responsibilities will result in disciplinary action.
Preventable Accidents:
A preventable accident is defined as: any accident involving a member agency vehicle – whether being used for member agency or personal use – or any vehicle while being used on entity business that results in property damage and/or personal injury, and in which the driver in question failed to exercise every reasonable precaution to prevent the accident.
Classification of preventable accidents:
• Following too close
• Driving too fast for conditions
• Failure to observe clearances
• Failure to obey signs
• Failure to yield
• Improper turns
• Failure to observe signals from other drivers
• Failure to reduce speed
• Improper backing
• Improper parking
• Improper passing
• Failure to obey traffic signals or directions
• Exceeding the posted speed limit
• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or similar charges.
I have read and will abide by the conditions as stated in this document regarding the operation of any vehicle for the Member Agency’s business.
Name (printed) ______
Signature ______Today’s Date ______
Witness ______Today’s Date ______
MVR Review Method
Tickets in last 5 years:
DWI, DUI or operating while impaired ………………… ______x 6 = ______
Chemical test refusal ……………………………………. ______x 6 = ______
Reckless/careless driving ………………………………… ______x 6 = ______
Driving under suspended license ………………………… ______x 4 = ______
Fleeing police ……………………………………………. ______x 4 = ______
Leaving scene of accident ……………………………….. ______x 3 = ______
Speeding (> 15 mph over limit or over 75 mph) ………… ______x 3 = ______
Speeding (< 15 mph over limit) ………………………….. ______x 2 = ______
Improper/illegal lane change or turn ……………………… ______x 2 = ______
Following too close ………………………………………. ______x 2 = ______
Traffic signal offenses ……………………………………. ______x 2 = ______
Failure to yield ……………………………………………. ______x 1 = ______
Failure to signal …………………………………………… ______x 1 = ______
Operating a defective vehicle …………………………….. ______x 1 = ______
MVR points ______
Do any patterns exist on the MVR? Yes No ______
(e.g., a ticket each year for a couple years)
Are there any accidents on the MVR? Yes No ______
Any injuries? Yes No ______
Any fatalities? Yes No ______
Any tickets issued because of accident? Yes No ______
For each Yes circled above, add one point to the score above. (Note: A fatality should also be counted as an injury too and result in two points added to the score.)
Total Points ______
In the total points:
6 or more Unacceptable
4 to 5 Questionable
2 to 3 Marginal
0 to 1 Acceptable
THREE YEAR DRIVER EVALUATION PROFILE
Name ______Driver’s License # ______
Date of Birth ______MVR Review Date ______
Risk Factor
1. AGE Score
21-24 (30) ______
25-29 (15) ______
30-65 (10) ______
AGE FACTOR ______
2. VIOLATIONS
Major Offense (150) ______
3 Ordinary (100) ______
2 Ordinary ( 50) ______
1 Ordinary ( 20) ______
0 Offenses ( 10) ______
VIOLATIONS ______
3. CHARGEABLE ACCIDENTS
2 Accidents (100) ______
1 Accident ( 40) ______
0 Accidents ( 10) ______
ACCIDENTS ______
4. LENGTH FO EMPLOYMENT
Under one year (20) ______
1 to 2 years (15) ______
2 years and over (10) ______
TENURE ______
TOTAL SCORE ______
TOTAL RISK FACTOR ______
(Low-Medium-High)
LOW ACCIDENT POTENTIAL 40-90
MEDIUM ACCIDENT POTENTIAL 95-125
HIGH ACCIDENT POTENTIAL 130 and over
ACCIDENT PREVENTABILITY REVIEW RESOURCE GUIDE
This guide, while it is designed to assist in determining the preventability of accidents, does not list every factor that may be involved in a given accident. It does cover the most common aspects of the principal causes of accidents and, as such it can serve as a guide when reviewing accidents.
Vehicle Accident Factors
A. Struck in Rear by Other Vehicle
Non-Preventable if:
1. Driver’s vehicle was legally and properly parked.
2. Driver was proceeding in own lane of traffic at a safe and lawful speed.
3. Driver was stopped in traffic due to existing conditions or was stopped in compliance with traffic sign or signal or the directions of a police officer of other person.
4. Driver was in proper lane, stopped and waiting to make turn.
B. Struck While Parked
Non-Preventable if:
1. Driver was properly parked in a location where parking was permitted.
2. Vehicle was protected by emergency warning devices as required by federal and state regulations, or if driver was in process of setting out or retrieving signals.
C. Accidents at Intersection
Preventable if:
1. Driver failed to control speed so that he could stop within available sight distance.
2. Driver failed to check cross-traffic and wait for it to clear before entering intersection.
3. Driver pulled out from side street in the face of oncoming traffic.
4. Driver collided with person, vehicle or object while making right or left turn.
5. Driver, going straight through an intersection, collided with another vehicle making a turn.
D. Striking Other Vehicle in Rear
Preventable if:
1. Driver failed to maintain safe following distance and have vehicle under control.
2. Driver failed to keep alert to traffic conditions and note slow-down.
3. Driver failed to ascertain whether vehicle ahead was moving slowly, stopped or slowing down for any reason.
4. Driver misjudged rate of overtaking.
5. Driver came too close before pulling out to pass.
6. Driver failed to wait for car ahead to move into the clear before starting up.
7. Driver failed to leave sufficient room for passing vehicle to get safety back in line.
E. Sideswipe and Head-On Collisions
Preventable if:
1. Driver was not entirely in the proper lane of travel.
2. Driver did not pull to the right and slow down and stop for vehicle encroaching on own lane of travel when such action could have been taken without additional danger.
F. Struck in Rear by Other Vehicle
Preventable if:
1. Driver was passing slower traffic near an intersection and had to make sudden stop.
2. Driver made sudden stop to park, load or unload.
3. Driver’s vehicle was improperly parked.
4. Driver rolled back into vehicle behind.
G. Squeeze Plays and Shutouts
Preventable if:
1. Driver failed to yield right of way to avoid an accident.
H. Backing Accident
Preventable if:
1. Driver backed vehicle, causing accident, when such backing could have been avoided.
2. Driver failed to get out of vehicle and check proposed path of backward travel.
3. Driver failed to use a “spotter” if driver was in a position where the mirrors failed to show the hazard.
I. Accidents Involving Streetcar or Train
Preventable if:
1. Driver attempted to cross tracks directly ahead of train or streetcar.
2. Driver ran into side of train or streetcar.
3. Driver stopped on or parked too close to tracks.
J. Accidents While Passing
Preventable if:
1. Driver passed when view of road ahead was obstructed by hill, curve, vegetation, traffic, adverse weather condition, etc.
2. Driver attempted to pass in the face of closely approaching traffic.
3. Driver failed to warn the driver of the vehicle being passed.
4. Driver failed to signal change of lanes.
5. Driver pulled out in front of other traffic overtaking from rear.
6. Driver cut-in short returning to right lane.
K. Accidents While Being Passed
Preventable if:
1. Driver failed to stay in own lane, or hold or reduce speed to permit safe passing.
L. Accidents While Entering Traffic Stream
Preventable if:
1. Driver failed to signal when pulling out from curb.
2. Driver failed to check traffic before pulling out from curb.
3. Driver failed to look back to check traffic if driver was in position where mirrors did not show traffic conditions.
4. Driver attempted to pull out in a manner that forces other vehicle(s) to change speed or direction.
5. Driver failed to make full stop before entering from side street, alley or driveway.
6. Driver failed to make full stop before crossing sidewalk.
7. Driver failed to yield right of way to approaching traffic.
M. Pedestrian Accidents
Preventable if:
1. Driver did not reduce speed in area of heavy pedestrian traffic.