What Should Be in a Trucking Company’s Driver Safety Policy?

A trucking company’s driver safety policy is more than paperwork. A well-designed and properly enforced safety policy can help prevent crashes and protect drivers and the public.

According to SambaSafety, an effective driver safety policy should address several critical areas, including:

• Driver qualifications and records. Companies should have procedures for monitoring driver qualifications, licenses, motor vehicle records, road tests, and other required documentation.
• Hiring procedures. A safety policy should explain the qualifications required before someone is permitted to drive for the company, including appropriate background and MVR checks.
• Drug and alcohol policies. Regulated motor carriers must comply with applicable FMCSA drug and alcohol requirements, and these requirements should be clearly addressed in the company’s safety program.
• Hours of service and vehicle safety. Policies should address hours-of-service requirements, vehicle maintenance, inspections, safety equipment, and accident reporting.
• Employee acknowledgment. Drivers should receive and acknowledge the company’s safety policy so there is a clear understanding of the expectations.
• Discipline for violations. Companies should have a clear process for addressing employees who fail to comply with safety requirements.

A driver safety policy should not simply sit in a file cabinet. It should establish clear expectations, provide drivers with the resources necessary to operate safely, and be consistently enforced.

When a serious truck crash occurs, the company’s safety policies and records may become important evidence. Whether the company properly qualified and monitored its drivers, followed its own safety procedures, and responded appropriately to violations can all be important questions.

At The Hamilton Firm, we investigate the circumstances surrounding serious truck crashes, including the conduct of the driver and the trucking company. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a truck crash, understanding what the trucking company was required to do before the crash can be an important part of understanding what happened.

Patrick A. Cruise