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(Image courtesy of Road Safety at Work)
Do your company’s New Year’s resolutions include a commitment to road safety? They should if your employees do any work-related driving, from picking up office supplies to making sales calls to travelling between jobsites.
You have legal responsibilities for employees who drive full-time, part-time, or occasionally – even if they use their own vehicle. Driving is the leading cause of traumatic workplace deaths in B.C., so
Road Safety at Work is suggesting four resolutions you can make for 2025 to help keep employees safe when the drive on the job.
Know and meet your responsibilities
Any vehicle used for work in B.C., and in many other jurisdictions, is deemed a workplace. That means you are required to include road safety in your health and safety program when any employee drives as part of their work. Review the employer responsibilities in your region to ensure that you are checking all boxes.
Check driver licences, provide vehicle orientation
Start the new year by asking employees who drive for a copy of their current licence and abstract. Then be sure you’ve trained them how to safely use the vehicle they drive for work. Tips are available on the Road Safety at Work website about checking driving records and driver orientation.
Identify hazards, reduce risks
Employers are required to ensure employees are trained to identify and respond to driving-related hazards, so first identify and assess the hazards, then take steps to reduce the risks they pose. Road Safety at Work offers a RiskCheck online tool to create an assessment and action plan.
Develop driving policies
Tell your employees how you expect them to drive by setting out guidelines. Use policy and procedures templates are a great way to get started. Ask your staff for their suggestions. Be sure to cover winter driving too.
Your commitment to road safety is not just about compliance. It’s also about caring for your team. Resolving to make 2025 crash-free in your organization shows that you value your employees.
Originally known as an Occupational Road Safety Partnership, Road Safety at Work established in late 2009 by WorkSafeBC and the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation to address road safety issues affecting BC workplaces. The organization is managed by the Justice Institute of British Columbia and funded by WorkSafeBC.