Trucking companies need to do all they can to protect their employees, their trucks, and everyone else on the road. In fact, there are several federal regulations and laws that are in place for this very purpose. The most important thing, according to Hensley Legal Group truck accident lawyer, is to establish a traffic safety program that includes several things that affect performance while also minimizing motor vehicle crash risks. Some of the main guidelines issued by the OSHA for this program are presented below.
Employee Involvement And Management Commitment
These are two elements that always need to be seen in any safety program developed by the trucking company. Senior management has to offer leadership. It needs to set strict policies and then allocate the necessary resources for the creation of a safety culture. All management members have to encourage the participation and the involvement of all employees. This should be at all organizational levels. The fleet can only be safe when everyone is thinking about safety.
Create Written Safety Procedures And Policies
Safety procedures and policies should never just be implied. All of them need to be put in writing. They have to be comprehensive, enforceable, and, most importantly, clear. To make sure that truck drivers respect the procedures, incentives should be added. The employers that respect the rules should also know exactly what the consequences are. When policies are not respected, management has to enforce consequences.
Driver Agreement
The driver agreement is important since it forces the truck driver to go through the traffic safety policies of the company and agree to them. The driver signs the document, which should include expectations and procedures regarding vehicle maintenance, moving violations reports, and driver performance.
MVR (Motor Vehicle Record) Checks
Truck companies need to have MVRs and review them periodically with the purpose of making sure all drivers maintain very good driving records. The company has to define with extreme clarity what happens when drivers break protocol and how many are allowed before driving privileges are lost. Also, the MVR should include details about training, with the trucking company needing to provide that training.
Policies About Crash Investigation And Reporting
Every single crash has to be reported to the supervisor, regardless of how severe they are. The company needs to understand why the crash happened, establish fault, and procedures capable of preventing accidents from happening.
A Disciplinary Action System
Every trucking company needs such a system in place. It has to include a set of progressive discipline measures to stop drivers from repeatedly violating traffic laws. Also, the system should act as a way to prevent crashes. As a result, it needs to include all the actions that are going to be taken whenever truck drivers accumulate a specific number of violations.
Driver Training
Last but not least, the trucking company needs to provide truck driver training. Things change fast in the industry so whenever this happens, it is the responsibility of the trucking company to take the steps needed to make sure truck drivers are properly trained.