Being a respected part of the livery market, you and your drivers are certainly well aware of the rules of the road. With that in mind, you are mindful that safety is a must, and should always remain a top priority.
Your livery operators are responsible for the passenger’s well being in addition to ensuring that they are operating appropriately, promoting safe driving habits, and always conscious of those on the road around them. With a great deal of responsibility and liability resting on your shoulders, it’s important that your drivers stay abreast of evolving laws and regulations – for example the affect of cell phone use behind the wheel and the commercial vehicle regulation effective January 3, 2012 banning cell phone use for hand held devices in all commercial vehicles nationwide.
As technology changes and devices progress – think Blackberrys and iPhones – personal cell phones have infiltrated much of our life. With immediate access to email, the Internet and constant, real-time text messaging, cell phones have a significant effect on job safety. Let’s consider some recent events, such as the Boston trolley driver who, while distracted and sending text messages, slammed into another car, injuring multiple passengers. Or the Los Angeles commuter train operator who, while looking down at a text conversation hit another train, resulting in a crash which took the lives of 20 people. Texting alone has been a major cause in the increase of vehicle-induced fatalities.
The Harvard Center of Risk Analysis, estimates that cell phone activity contributes to 636,000 motor vehicle crashes, 333,000 injuries and 2,6000 fatalities, each year. Although it is difficult to determine exactly how many of these incidents are work-related, such as truck drivers, delivery drivers, salespeople, etc. it’s safe to say that you need to be aware of your employees and their potential cell phone use while on the job. And it’s not just cell phones that cause problems – iPods and other personal tech devices can cause the same level of distraction, if not more.
As a livery operator and business owner, it’s crucial that you recognize that you are putting yourself at risk, should one of your drivers be involved in an accident. Additionally, adding insult to injury is the fact that it is very likely there may be a worker’s comp claim involved. As the owner and operator of a livery business, it’s necessary that you consider all of your coverage options – beginning with a comprehensive livery insurance program.
As specialists in the limo insurance sector, we can configure an inclusive, competitive insurance program, tailored to your business’ unique needs. Interested in learning more about the inclusive commercial insurance options we can provide your operation? Contact Wolpert Insurance today to learn more about our specialized livery insurance program.