Towing cars isn’t always an easy job. There’s a lot of responsibility associated with transporting someone else’s car, and so safety is absolutely paramount for tow truck companies. You might have a good record for your business with few accidents, tickets, or losses, but it’s still important to do everything you can to establish high safety standards for your company (and besides, it can help you save money on your tow truck insurance rates.) That being said, here are a few ways you can boost safety at your tow truck business.
How to improve safety at your tow truck business.
1. Establish regular safety meetings and training.
Time spent discussing safety and reinforcing training is time well-spent. Meetings are a great way to go over your business’s safety policies and your expectations for drivers – namely, that they use good driving habits and act responsibly. Remember, safety is good for your tow truck insurance.
It may also be a good idea to have weekly check-ins with your drivers to give everyone the chance to talk about how safety is going. It’s also a great time to discuss any issues, ask your drivers if they have any questions, and see if they have any suggestions for keeping everyone safe.
2. Have safety policies for your business.
Your tow truck business should have clear, written policies about driver safety and vehicle use. Each driver and employee should get a written copy of these policies for their reference (and sign off that they received it.) These policies ensure that everyone is aware that they’re expected to uphold the company’s commitment to safety. Make sure that everyone knows that the policies are there for their own good – tow truck businesses face many risks, so it’s important to reduce risk as much as possible.
3. Take a stand against distracted driving.
One of your policies should be about distracted driving. Texting and driving and talking on the phone while driving are both highly dangerous – a tow truck can easily travel the length of a football field in the time it takes to read a text. Setting up a strict policy prohibiting distracted driving will make it very clear that it’s not acceptable to text and drive at your company. Again, emphasize that this is for the drivers’ safety as well as that of other drivers on the road.
4. Keep logs for vehicle inspections and records of your drivers’ hours of service.
Become a stickler for record-keeping. Be sure that your drivers are writing down (or otherwise recording) their hours of service, and make sure they’re diligent about pre-trip vehicle inspections and filling out the corresponding paperwork. Stress the importance of thorough, accurate records.
5. Be careful during the hiring process.
When you’re hiring, you need to make sure you’re picking people who are dedicated to safety. Don’t skip steps – do background checks, run MVRs (motor vehicle records), and get a drug and alcohol test. Just take care to do all of these things properly and legally – don’t violate anyone’s rights. Your drivers should be people you trust to use your tow trucks and to represent your business well.
6. Consider putting GPS in your tow trucks.
GPS systems can help you keep an eye on how fast your drivers are driving. This can discourage anyone from going over the speed limit, which in turn reduces the chance of speeding tickets (which, by the way, aren’t good for your tow truck insurance rates.) Speeding is dangerous and can lead to accidents, so it’s important that everyone drives safely. (And tickets and accidents are one of the factors that influence tow truck insurance rates.)
InsuranceHub is here to help you in a few different ways. We can talk safety with you and chat about what your business can do to minimize and manage your risks. We can also help you get tow truck insurance quotes and shop for your insurance so that you can save money. All you have to do to get in touch is fill out our quote form or call us today – we’re here to help you.