By Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant

As companies attempt to reduce costs, one particular item that I have been seeing a great deal of is companies having their own drivers. These drivers provide companies with the ability to pick up and deliver their product, get product from one location to the next, or to send products to secondary operations. While convenient, it is vital to point out that the simple roadway hazards that most commuting drivers only face for a short period of time in a day, are constant hazards that professional drivers face all day.

In 2015 the state of Michigan alone had 297,023 automobile accidents. 893 of those resulted in fatalities, 54,008 resulted in an injury and 242,122 resulted in property damage. These numbers give us a statewide perception of auto accidents, but you may be wondering where does MTMIC and work related injuries fit into this picture. Since 2009, MTMIC has had 106 injuries resulting from motor vehicles. This could include, but is not limited to; motor vehicle collisions with a fixed object, motor vehicle collisions with other motor vehicle(s) and other motor vehicle situations. Injuries that have been reported from motor vehicle accidents include; concussions, contusions, crushes, foreign bodies, fractures, lacerations and strains to name a few. One of the most eye opening statistics when discussing motor vehicle accidents are the costs of the injuries resulting from the incidents. Since 2009, MTMIC has spent over two million dollars on motor vehicle related injuries. That is an astounding $19,000 average per claim. In an MTMIC claim from 1997 that was an amputation from a motor vehicle injury that resulted in a cost of over 1.6 million dollars. More recently, a Travis Halsted, Loss Control Consultant How to Avoid Roadway Exposures2006 fracture from a motor vehicle collision has a cost of over $760,000. These claims show the staggering figures that provide companies with drive to reduce the likelihood of any losses while their drivers are on the road.

Along with the cost of the claims, we must also look at the long term damage from motor vehicle incidents. 33 of the claims mentioned above were lost time injuries. These lost time injuries range anywhere from an employee being off from work for a few days to months or even longer. During this time, the valuable employee is off and the motor vehicle they were driving is most likely damaged. This can often put a company into a bind as not only do the incidents affect the motor vehicle insurance costs but, in many cases, a temporary vehicle could need to be rented to continue the day to day operations.

So what can be done? As we all know, it isn’t always about how you may drive, but also about how everyone else is driving as well. While there is some validity to that, it is paramount to discuss some ways that one can be proactive on the road. The MTMIC Client Portal offers a great deal of safety videos that will assist you in preventing motor vehicle incidents. Driving modules based on distracted driving, driving in adverse weather conditions, defensive driving and a plethora of other items to be aware of for driving are available for your use. If you need assistance in getting logged into the MTMIC Client Portal, please do not hesitate to contact Patricia Allen at (248) 488-1172 ext. 1010 and/or Patricia.Allen@MTMIC.com. Furthermore, developing company policies regarding training before driving vehicles for work related purposes is a great start to having a proactive approach to driver safety. During this training you can utilize these videos, discuss company protocols on what you allow and do not allow for your drivers to do and any other items that you find pertinent to your driver’s safety. To discuss roadway hazards or ways to reduce the likelihood of an injury resulting from a motor vehicle, I strongly encourage you to contact your Loss Control Consultant.