Keeping Drivers Safe with Proper Training and Vehicle Inspections

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month, marking a perfect time to revisit your company’s driver training policies. Motor vehicle safety in the workplace is essential to protect employees from injury while limiting costs for the company. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports 39% of all fatal workplace injuries are caused by transportation incidents. Additionally, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) found that an on-the-job highway crash costs employers an average of $26,000, and an injury costs the employer nearly $80,000 on average. With these statistics in mind, it should be a top priority of all employers to implement a driver and fleet safety program.

Driver safety training should be administered regularly to all employees who are expected to drive as part of their job. Consistent retraining during the year can help keep safe driving tactics top-of-mind and prevent complacency.

OSHA recommends driver training to include:

• Vehicle characteristics, capabilities, and limitations

• Vehicle instruments, controls, and safety components

• Vehicle preventative maintenance checks and services

• Company driving policies and procedures - seat belts, distractions (including drowsy and impaired driving), aggressive driving and speeding

• Defensive Driving

• Vehicle Backing

Rancho Mesa offers a number of driver training courses through the SafetyOne™ platform, including Driving Safety, Distracted Driving, and Driving Defensively.

In addition to driver safety, vehicle maintenance is also an important step in protecting your employees and other drivers. Regular maintenance and inspections play a vital role in employee safety. Drivers should always conduct pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections and document any deficiencies. Defective vehicles should be removed from service until the issue is repaired. OSHA lists the areas of the vehicle that should be inspected before and after each drive, they include:

• Brakes/brake systems

• Tires – including air pressure

• Wheels, fasteners, and hubs

• Lights and signals

• Steering functions

• Fuel and exhaust system

• Fluid levels

• Windows and mirrors – clear view

• Emergency equipment and safety devices

• Cargo securement – if applicable

• Flatbed trailer fall protection systems – if applicable

Rancho Mesa’s Fleet Safety training, available through SafetyOne™, can improve a driver’s understanding of what is required of them before, during, and after their drive.

For additional information on how Rancho Mesa can help your company develop a fleet safety program, register for the Building A Fleet Safety Program with Rancho Mesa's Tools & Resources webinar on Friday, April 18, 2025.

Return of the Rush Hour: Avoid Increased Risk with Safe Driving

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Special, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As students return to the classroom, the back to school traffic has also resumed. With more cars on the roads, this leads to more risk for commercial vehicles making their daily commutes.

By the time Labor Day passes, most school districts and universities in the nation have started classes again, and with that, an increase in traffic in the mornings and afternoons has also resumed. The roads are flooded with school buses, parents, carpoolers, and college students rushing to their destinations. At the same time, the normal work commute continues, including many commercial and company-owned fleet vehicles.

In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the rate of large truck fatal crashes was highest in the months August through October.

In order to keep their drivers safe, employers should educate their employees on the added hazards on the road this time of year and revisit training topics related to defensive and distracted driving.

The SafetyOne™ platform offers driver safety resources to help employers prevent auto accidents, with many toolbox talks and a library of online training courses. 

Additionally, anyone can register online for Rancho Mesa’s Fleet Safety webinar with dates throughout September and October.

To learn more about driver safety resources, contact your client technology coordinator.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Prevent Fleet Accidents Through Training

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month across the nation. The month is dedicated to preventing distractions while driving as well as spreading awareness of these dangers on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 3,500 people in the United States were killed due to distracted driving in 2021. The most common forms of distraction are phone use such as texting, scrolling apps, or phone calls. When it comes to fleet and construction vehicles, it's important to make sure your employees are driving safely.

One vital way to prevent accidents on the road is through driver training. The SafetyOne™ platform offers a library of online driver training topics to ensure your drivers are safe on the road.

• Driver Safety: The Basics

• Driving Safety

• Driving Defensively

• Distracted Driving

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Defensive Driver Training

Additionally, clients can register for Rancho Mesa’s in-person Fleet Safety workshop on Friday, May 17, 2024 at the Mission Valley Library.

To learn more about the training offered in SafetyOne, contact your client technology coordinator.

Back to the Books: Fall Months Call for Driver Preparedness

Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As schools begin filtering back into session, more vehicles flood the roads in the mornings and afternoons. The “rush hour” traffic is back in full swing. From construction workers on their way to the jobsite to parents rushing their kids to school, more vehicles on the road means more risk for accidents, and an uptick in insurance claims.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, in 2021 the rate of fatal crashes for large trucks was highest in the months August through October, with its peak in September. Construction-industry vehicles typically fall into the category of large trucks, defined by a total weight of 10,000 pounds or more.

To avoid becoming a statistic, it’s a good time for employees to freshen up on driver training. The SafetyOne™ platform offers a library of online driver training topics to ensure your drivers are safe on the road.

• Driver Safety: The Basics

• Driving Safety

• Driving Defensively

• Distracted Driving

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Defensive Driver Training

To learn more about risk management resources or the training offered in SafetyOne, contact your client technology coordinator.