No matter how much trust you put into your drivers and regardless of how safe and responsible they are behind the wheel, sometimes accidents and collisions can happen anyway. Sometimes things suddenly spring up on the road without any warning and leave a reliable driver searching for answers. Because accidents can happen at any time, it’s important your drivers know what to do in the aftermath.

If one of your drivers were to commit an error after an accident that jeopardized the safety of a passenger, you could be looking at a liability claim on your limo insurance. Limousine accidents are serious matters regardless of the nature of the accident because the fact that passengers may be involved makes it all the more dangerous. While your company’s limo drivers are obviously trained and equipped to avoid collisions, anything can happen on the road no matter how experienced the driver is. If one of your drivers is ever involved in accident with passengers, here is what they should do immediately following the collision:

• The first thing a limo driver should is make sure to check the status of all the occupants of the vehicle, including the driver themselves. After making sure that you, the driver, are injury free immediately assess each and every passenger.

• If anyone in the limo is injured, call 911 immediately and also contact the police to alert them of your accident or collision. All limo drivers should have a cell phone on hand.

• Assess the damage of your vehicle and other one involved and see which spots were damaged. Take photos of the vehicle you hit so you can refer to them later one in addition to the license plates. Finally, take pictures of the accident scene from various angles to support your written report.

• If you were involved in a collision with one or more vehicles, exchange insurance information with each of the drivers of the vehicles. For each vehicle involved be sure to get the driver and owner’s name, phone number, address, license plate number, insurance company and policy information. You will also need the names of all the occupants of each vehicle.

• Following the accident the driver of the limo should fill out and file an accident report with details of the accident. The state, insurance provider and the limo company will keep this for their records. Be sure to immediately report any accident where serious injuries were sustained to your insurance company via their 800 Claim number service.

• If the accident occurs in an area away highly populated area, it’s always a good idea to keep an emergency kit stored in the trunk of your limo. A typical emergency kit will have jumper cables, a flashlight, batteries and road flares.

This checklist of information and procedures should be kept in the car and each driver should be aware of its location.

Accidents can happen at any time, even if you limo driver isn’t at fault. However, it’s important for your employees to have the knowledge of what to do after an accident. If you have any more questions, feel free to contact our agency and talk to us about livery insurance in Massachusetts.

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Being confident in the ability of your drivers is an important aspect of owning a limo service, but are your employees aware of the best practices for keeping everyone safe while they are behind the wheel? Your business is a client based service, but you’re also in charge of their safety and well-being, and if you fail in either of these areas you could be subject to liability claims on your limo insurance policy. Here are some tips for limo driver safety you can share with your employees:

• Staying alert: When driving any vehicle it’s important to concentrate and notice all of your surroundings. However, since you have customers you need to pay extra attention to what’s going on around you. Additionally, no driver should get behind the wheel if they feel tired or fatigued.
• Intersection Etiquette: Many vehicle accidents occur at intersections whether it’s two-way, three-way or four-way. Your drivers should understand the right of way rules at intersections to avoid any costly and damaging collisions.
• Obeying the speed limit: This should be a no-brainer, but it’s imperative you drill this into your driver’s brains. If you any of your employees are involved in an accident as the result of speeding our potential liability is significantly increased which could lead to larger settlements and significantly higher premiums.
• Distracted driving: No professional driver should ever be distracted while on the road. Whether it’s using a cell phone, eating or drinking, driving is meant to be done with two hands, not one. Drivers who use handheld devices while driving are four more times likely to be involved in accident!
• Following too closely: Since limos have increased stopping distances when compared to a regular vehicle, rear end collisions are quite common. Always follow at a safe distance and extend that distance as your speeds increase.
• Sideswiping: Because of the awkward turn radius of the extended limousines, sideswiping is an accident that is all too commonplace.. Be sure to properly train your drivers by using cones and simulations so that they understand the mechanics and the feel of how limos move.

As one of the leading livery insurance agencies, we understand the risk limo companies face on a daily basis which is why we specialize in helping businesses like yours continue to operate safely. Feel free to give us a call today and request a quote!

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Is your livery service looking for a new vehicle? Depending on the type of service you offer, it may be a tough decision choosing between a new and used vehicle to add to your fleet. Since customer satisfaction is one of your primary goals, it’s tough to settle for anything less than the best. Here is a breakdown of new and used vehicles:

• New: A brand new vehicle obviously comes in mint condition with the freshest amenities. Not only will you be getting the latest model, but you’ll also be getting a vehicle in the best shape that isn’t likely to breakdown anytime soon. Cost is obviously always a concern with a new vehicle and it’s likely you will have to make monthly payments as oppose to paying for it all at once.

• Used: You will always find a used vehicle for a great price, but is it actually worth it? If your business is struggling and adding another vehicle is of utmost important, than going used may not be a bad idea. But keep in mind that a used vehicle comes with some wear and tear—internally and externally—that may turn some customers off. However, many used vehicles are in great shape and look just as new regardless.

The decision between buying a new or used vehicle for your livery business is obviously difficult, which is why weighing the pros and cons is necessary. Whatever your decision, you’ll want to be sure you get the proper livery insurance that will respond in the event that the vehicle is damaged. Our limo insurance agency recommends doing what is best for your business, so contact us today if you have any additional questions!

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