Crafting an Effective Company Vehicle Usage Policy: Key Components & Guidelines

Company vehicles are assets that allow employees to conduct their business without needing to use their personal cars and trucks. While having access to a company vehicle is essential for many jobs, it’s also important to make sure there are defined parameters for employees to follow. A company vehicle use policy outlines all of the requirements for everyone to understand, and you’ll want to make sure the one your business uses includes several essential components.

Outline the Qualifications for Using the Vehicle

The first thing you’ll want to include in your policy is who can drive the vehicle. If your business car insurance only covers drivers of a certain age, include this information. You may also define qualified drivers based on their job titles or duties.

Create a Clear List of Driver Rules & Responsibilities

This section of the company vehicle use policy should define how employees are expected to stay safe while driving. In this section, list obvious expectations, such as following the speed limit and obeying other traffic laws. You may also need to include rules such as remembering to lock the doors when the vehicle isn’t in use or never leaving the vehicle running with the keys in the ignition.

Define Accommodations for People with Disabilities

Letting your employees know about how your company accommodates people with disabilities who need to drive the vehicle promotes inclusion. For instance, the policy might define accessible parking spaces on your lot that allow people with disabilities to have better access to the car. This section may also include safety information, such as letting people know not to drive if they take medications that impair their ability to operate heavy machinery.

Provide an Outline of Accident Procedures

Hopefully, this section isn’t ever needed, but it’s important to be prepared. This section should let the employees know where they can find the insurance and registration cards along with how to report the accident to your company’s HR team or another decision maker.

State the Company’s Responsibilities

In this section, define what the company is responsible for handling. Most companies take responsibility for handling routine maintenance, insurance coverage, and safety inspections. Meanwhile, you can also list what isn’t the company’s responsibility, such as a ticket an employee receives due to negligent behavior.

Explain Disciplinary Actions

Driving a company vehicle is a privilege, and you’ll need to define what happens if an employee fails to follow the rules. For instance, an employee might receive a warning notice for a minor infraction such as leaving the vehicle unlocked in the parking lot. Alternatively, driving while inebriated or loaning the vehicle to an unauthorized person could lead to a complete revocation of the driver’s privileges, termination of employment, and potential legal action. 

Businesses owners need to make sure their companies and employees are protected by purchasing appropriate insurance coverage. The experienced agents at Altra Insurance Services can help you with a wide variety of insurance options, including commercial insurance and car insurance. National City business owners should call one of our friendly representatives today to learn how we can satisfy all your insurance needs.