Safe Driving and Motor Vehicle Cover: Protecting Your Assets With Confidence

Preparing your drivers and vehicular assets with safety processes is one of the simplest ways to curtail accidents and reduce claims. A thorough strategy to upskill drivers ensures standardised and competent vehicle operation. Coupled with well-structured policies for tracking vehicle use and upkeep, your council will be well-positioned to maintain a safe, efficient fleet — and navigate the claims process smoothly if the need arises.

Council-wide processes ensure all drivers understand what’s expected of their on-road comportment, reducing risk and optimising insurance claims. Let’s explore key insights into safe driving practices and record-keeping initiatives to prime your risk management for both drivers and vehicles.

Key Safe Driving Practices for Councils

More important than reducing the financial implications of a car accident is driver safety. Certain council members must travel by road to perform their roles — and to make it safely to and from work.

Here’s how you can foster safer drivers:

1. Prioritise Driver Education and Training

Driving carries inherent risks, but without education or proactive measures to mitigate them these risks only multiply. In New South Wales alone, speeding contributes to around 41% of road fatalities — but speed is not the only culprit.

Defensive driving courses ensure all staff are trained in road safety and empowered to handle weather-related risks, variable light, off-road terrain and other road users’ dangerous driving. Offer workshops or refresher courses to give staff the skills to respond to challenging road conditions.

2. Implement a Vehicle Safety Policy

Engaging in unsafe driving practices not only increases risks but can also damage a council’s reputation and erode public trust. Create a clear and enforceable policy that outlines safe driving expectations in council vehicles.

Your policy may include topics such as:

• Guidelines for speed limits.
• Mobile phone usage.
• Driving during extreme weather conditions.
• Communications around unexpected delays.

3. Encourage Regular Driver Health Checks

Eyesight and reflex times are two health-related factors that can make the difference between an accident and a near miss. Consider implementing in-house or third-party eyesight tests and physical assessments to confirm all drivers have a standard of health conducive to safe driving.

4. Foster Communication Across Teams

Building a culture of open communication surrounding driving challenges and wins creates a shared sense of responsibility and support. Plus, it can help alert drivers to unexpected risks and how to handle them on the roads.

For instance, if a driver reports a compromising on-road circumstance they encountered, it may pay to raise this at team meetings. Publicly reward safe driving behaviour to incentivise drivers to engage in positive habits.

Tracking and Documenting Vehicle Usage

Record fleet usage and maintenance procedures to ascertain whether you’re operating a safe fleet. Clear records can fast-track claims by identifying that the vehicle was properly cared for and in good driving condition. Here are a few strategies to optimise your documentation:

5. Keep Comprehensive Vehicle Logs

Vehicle logs are comprehensive records that detail where a car travelled, with whom, for how long and any incidents that occurred. These logs can identify potential issues and help schedule timely repairs or servicing.

In your vehicle logs, track details such as:

• Driver name, date and destination.
• Mileage.
• Maintenance dates.
• Incident reports.

6. Regularly Review and Update Insurance Policies

Insurance requirements may change as vehicles age or if they are involved in an accident. Review your coverage annually to ensure it meets evolving needs. Check if you’re covered for a broad spectrum of vehicle-related incidents, including accidents, theft and severe weather damage.

7. Optimise Processes With Technology

Install GPS systems in your fleet to automate mileage tracking and reduce on-road distractions. GPS systems also monitor locations, speed and driver behaviour to provide actionable data insights that help coach drivers and review accidents.

Dash cams are another great tool for insurance claims since they provide critical evidence in vehicle-related incidences, simplify the claims process and encourage safer driving.

Aligning Vehicle Maintenance And Cover

Preventative care keeps your fleet road-ready, saving costs and enforcing safety standards. Not only do maintenance records help with claims, but they also demonstrate your council’s commitment to diligent fleet management. You can achieve this level of fleet upkeep with the following steps:

8. Schedule Regular Vehicle Inspections

Conduct inspections to identify potential issues before they escalate and reduce the need to make a claim. In New South Wales, most light vehicles more than five years old require annual safety inspections, known as a pink slip.

Key areas to check include:

• Brakes.
• Tyres.
• Lights.
• Oil/water levels.

9. Keep Maintenance Logs

Document vehicle upkeep activities, including servicing, tyre replacements and any major repairs. Thorough records support insurance claims by identifying when issues arose and the actions taken to resolve them. Over the long term, information gathered in these logs can optimise maintenance and documentation practices.

10. Choose Comprehensive Insurance

Opt for comprehensive coverage to protect your fleet against diverse risk exposures, like collisions, weather damage and third-party liability. Customise your insurance to the specific risks your vehicles face.

If an incident occurs, report it to CivicRisk Mutual with any supporting documentation, such as usage and maintenance logs, and dash cam recordings as early as possible.

Optimise Your Driver Safety and Vehicle Protection

At the end of the day, we don’t want to make unnecessary insurance claims for our fleets. But, more importantly, we want our drivers to return safely after their working days.

Implementing council-wide policies clarifying road safety practices, vehicle usage and maintenance expectations is the simplest way to protect drivers, secure your fleet and lower claims.

For tailored guidance on motor vehicle cover and risk management, contact the team at CivicRisk Mutual today.