Know Your Drivers: Review Driver Records and Discipline Violations
July 30, 2012
By Ann Bagwell, Motor Vehicle Records Consultant at PHH Arval
Before hiring a new employee, most companies do their due diligence. They thoroughly review resumes, conduct interviews and perform background checks.
A similar comprehensive process should be conducted when appointing new drivers for company vehicles. Before letting anyone drive a company vehicle including family members and pool drivers, it is critical to review driver records.
However, those records should be reviewed at least annually – not just upon hiring – and if an accident does occur, a MVR check should be conducted immediately. Additionally, for higher-risk drivers, records should be reviewed more often.
In this process, it’s important that the company is following the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). If you are unfamiliar, the FCRA was recently amended, and MVRs are considered a consumer report because they are used to determine whether an employee will receive a company vehicle.
We have found that when fleet managers enforce a consistent safety policy, they are more likely to see a decrease in fleet crashes. As such, fleet managers should develop and enforce a fleet scoring system. Because point systems for moving violations vary from state-to-state, it’s best to create a separate scoring system that is specific to your fleets’ needs and to all drivers regardless of state. The scoring system should look at the risk that violation/behavior poses to their organization.
When violations do occur, fleet managers should consult with their legal or human resources teams to determine the proper action. Those teams can assist fleet managers in defining circumstances that would result in a company driver being required to take safety training or losing driving privileges.
It’s critical that managers enforce their safety policy when the driver has been involved in any of the following circumstances:
- Alcohol- or drug-related driving offense;
- Refusal to submit to a BAC test;
- Reckless driving;
- Three or more moving violations/accidents;
- Suspension, revocation, or administrative restriction;
- Leaving the scene of an accident;
- An at fault in a fatal accident; or
- Conviction of a felony involving a motor vehicle.
Reviewing and keeping track of driver records can be challenging, but is crucial to business operations and the safety of all drivers on the road. So, take some time to review and track your driver records, and ensure you are taking action against drivers who violate your company’s policy.
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