School is Starting!
Written by Marlo .
School is starting across the country as summer comes to a close.
The start of the school year signals critical changes to traffic patterns. Education, training, and reminders to your fleet and business drivers goes a long way to preventing accidents and claims.
So, how does traffic change? What should we be reminding our drivers?
- Traffic Law Changes – Some states have different traffic laws for “school” days and “non-school” days. School zones are now active and the speed limit changed accordingly. Right turn laws may be changed to restrict such turns on red lights. Make sure your drivers are aware of changes and how they affect routes.
- School Transport Vehicles – Buses, vans, and other school vehicles observe special driving restrictions (stopping at railroad tracks, for example) and carry many potentially distracting children on board. Train your drivers to exercise caution around these vehicles.
- Pedestrian Traffic – Children walk in groups and pedestrian traffic increases at corners and intersections. Slow, careful, and attentive driving is a must.
Another thing to consider is to set up an office policy regarding passengers in work vehicles.
Check with your insurance professional to determine if your commercial auto policy covers non-business passengers. For example, if your sales force uses company cars and sales people regularly pick up and drop off their children, would the children be covered passengers in case of an accident? Depending on your coverage, your business may want to restrict passenger use in a clearly defined, written policy.
Finally, summer driving differs from winter driving. Weather, shorter days with less light, and other factors make winter driving more hazardous without advance planning. Proper tires, mechanically sound vehicles, emergency kits, and, most importantly, allowing additional time to get from stop to stop are just a few ways to lower the risk.
So, keep the kids in mind, and make sure your employees do as well.