Vehicle safety is a consistently critical issue for municipal government operations. Oftentimes, a single vehicle crash exposes employees and residents to injury, cities and towns to costly vehicle repairs and lost time on important projects and tasks.
To address this challenge, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety has developed a 10-step program to help employers enhance vehicle safety: the Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes.
Recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, these strategies are a great first step in guiding and setting expectations for vehicle safety across the board. To help assist municipalities in developing these strategies within their overall safety culture, the Municipal Association of SC Risk Management Services has developed a concept guide to help understand the alignment of the NETS 10 Steps and RMS: the Motor Vehicle Safety and Risk Reduction Guidelines. This guide highlights the integration of the NETS 10 Steps and RMS’ Motor Vehicle Safety and Risk Reduction Guidelines, illustrating their viability in developing a vehicle loss prevention program.
To further assist members in developing an awareness of how they are handling motor vehicle safety and risk reduction, RMS is offering a checklist tool. The Motor Vehicle Safety and Risk Reduction Guidelines - Yes/No Compliance Questionnaire is a valuable resource in gauging local governments’ readiness to implement and enhance a culture of vehicle safety within the workforce.
Although not required, RMS recommends this tool as a roadmap when assessing vehicle safety programs. Together, these resources can help municipalities develop vehicle loss prevention strategies that sustain safety and saves taxpayer dollars.
For more information on creating a vehicle loss prevention program, visit the Auto Loss Prevention webpage and login or contact Loss Control staff at losscontrol@masc.sc.