When it came to company vehicles and employee drivers, GreenLandscaping Co. (a pseudonym) did a lot of things right. Thevehicles were maintained on a set schedule, their employees wereall subject to biennial motor vehicle record reviews and everytruck was outfitted with a telematics device that reports thevehicle’s location and speed.

But that didn’t eliminate every risk from the company’s drivingexperience.

While driving his personal (unmonitored) vehicle to a job site,a company manager looked down to search for his ringing cell phone — and crossed the yellow line, strikinganother vehicle head-on. Sadly, the other driver was seriouslyinjured.

For Green Landscaping Co., the accident resulted in a $2 millionsettlement.

As we see in this scenario, the decision to drive distracted isoften taken lightly, but it leads to heavy consequences. As youhave no doubt seen in your daily work, distracted driving accidentscan incur huge financial burdens, damage reputations and causetragic loss of life.

Related: America's 10 most dangerous cities forcyclists

So, how can other companies avoid or best respond to thisscenario?

We depend on individuals to make good decisions when driving.But businesses can do more to support safe driving on the job. Infact, they have a responsibility to their employees, customers andthe driving public to do more.

Commercial auto loss control requires a holistic approach, andthe following five practices will help companies get on the righttrack.

Related: 2018’s 10 worst states to drive in

There are many causes of distracted driving, and programmingthe GPS while the vehicle is in motion is just one of them. (Photo:Shutterstock)

1. Understand the scope of distracted driving

Is distracted driving really as pervasive and dangerous as it’smade out to be? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about660,000 drivers use electronic devices while driving. In 2015,such drivers caused 391,000 injuries and the deaths of 3,477people.

Electronic devices are not the only source of distraction. Wecan understand behind-the-wheel distractions as falling into threecategories: manual, cognitive and visual. A manual distraction caninclude reaching into the back seat, while a cognitive distractionmay be as simple as daydreaming. And, a visual distraction isanything that takes your eyes off the road — including looking at aGPS device. Still, as the CDC emphasizes, texting poses a uniquechallenge to the driver’s attention: It combines all three of thesetypes of distraction.

We can also think of risky driving as either a poor decision,like texting behind the wheel, or an unintended action, likefalling asleep. That’s why it’s important for businesses to settheir employee drivers up for success and encourage them to makebetter decisions.

Related: 11 ways cars will be smarter in2018

Make safe driving a priority throughout the hiring process.(Photo: Shutterstock)

2. Hire safe drivers

First, employers must make better decisions themselves. Manyroles that require driving — like pest management technicians andpatrol security officers, for example — don’t have driving as aprimary job description. Yet hiring safe drivers is one of bestways for employers to ensure they are putting safe drivers behindthe wheel. After all, past driving behavior is the best indicationof future performance.

Any job candidates who may be driving in their future roleshould undergo a motor vehicle record (MVR) review for any statefrom which they have had a driver’s license. Some MVR red flagsinclude recent driving under the influence citations or frequentmoving violations, though each company can develop its own list ofprohibited violations.

Related: Marijuana use could be jeopardizing safety on theroads, survey finds

Résumés and job applications are a good source of driverinformation, as well. Has the candidate driven a vehicle like theone required for a job? Does the candidate cite defensive drivingtraining? Review driving skills and experience as you would anyother skills.

In some cases, a candidate’s physical condition may be relevant.Does the candidate have a condition that precludes the candidatefrom spending a lot of time behind the wheel? Does the candidatetake medications that make driving less safe? All of this is partof the decision-making process.

Furthermore, businesses should include a road test as part ofthe hiring process. This allows managers to look for safe-drivingbehaviors like buckling up, obeying the speed limit and avoidingdistractions.

Provide copies of your safe driving policies to allemployees, and provide updates regularly. (Photo:Shutterstock)

3. Coach current employees to be safe drivers

Though current employees don’t need to go through the hiringprocess over and over again, they may benefit from some of the samedriving reviews. Yearly road tests and MVR reviews provide valuableinsight into their daily driving habits. In addition, these reviewsprovide opportunities for coaching and enforcing safe-drivingpolicies before negative habits become accidents.

Clear, enforceable safe-driving policies are critical for everyemployer. These documents detail prohibited driving behaviors anddesirable alternative actions. For example, if the policy prohibitsprogramming a GPS device while driving, it can also recommend thatdrivers pull over in a rest stop to get their route in order. Thesedocuments should provide specific consequences for failing tofollow the policies and any resulting disciplinary actions.

As a trusted insurance agent, you can encourage your businessclients to maintain records of these policies. If an employee isinvolved in an accident and the employer is accused of negligence,the policy can serve as documentation that the employer activelydiscourages and prohibits distracted driving.

Related: Smartphones are killing Americans on the roads, butnobody’s counting

Most commercial vehicles have telematics availablethat enable employers to know how safely their employees aredriving. (Photo: Shutterstock)

4. Use technology for good

Telematics are nothing new to insurance professionals. But manyinsureds with fleets can benefit from integrating GPS trackers andother techie tools with this technology. For employers, telematicscan provide real-time information about a vehicle’s location andrate of speed, allowing managers to review data for evidence ofdangerous habits like hard braking and failing to use aseatbelt.

Telematics can’t tell managers about every time an employeereaches for the phone while driving, but they can add tools likeCell Control, which block cell signals within a vehicle, making itimpossible for a driver to give in to distractions.

All those indicator lights on the dashboard may seemold-fashioned by comparison, but they’re still a good source ofinformation. A fully functioning, safe vehicle helps make sure adriver is set up for success. Businesses should have a schedule andsystem in place for routine maintenance and timely repairs. As withthe safe driving policy, this maintenance should be documented.

Related: 5 takeaways from Connected Car Insurance USA2017

Be sure employees know how to report accidents and whatdocumentation to obtain. (Photo: Shutterstock

5. Know how to handle inevitable accidents

Even when a business has the right risk control policies andprocedures in place, sometimes management neglects to prepare foraccidents. Training employees to respond calmly and competently toaccidents can help.

An “accident kit” in every fleet vehicle is a useful way tosupport employees in the immediate aftermath of an incident. In thepast, employers often included a disposable camera and a list ofphone numbers, which isn’t as necessary in the smartphone era. Butthey can provide a form that the driver can use to report theconditions of the accidents. The employee driver can take photoswith the smartphone to supplement the form.

As you know, it’s critical that drivers record the details of anaccident in its immediate aftermath. Memories of details like turnsignal usage and stop sign locations can become murky withtime.

Employee drivers should also be directed to call the police inthe event of an accident. Over time police have become less andless involved in determining fault in an accident, but they have arole at the scene of even minor fender benders. Employees shouldnot discuss who was at fault with the police, but they can workwith them to document the accident. Plus, a police officer canprovide a calm, outside perspective on a stressful situation.

An accident is also a teachable moment. Agents and brokers canreview the claim with the insured to identify gaps in training,policies and procedures, loss control, and insurance coverage.

Related: When one policy covers the tractor & anotherthe trailer, which insurer pays?

Where agents come in

Many of us focused on commercial auto have been activelyfighting this trend toward increased accidents and rising losses.The good news is that information and resources are widelyavailable, often from the program administrators and carriers withwhom you work. One of the best ways to serve your commercial autoaccounts is to connect them with information that helps them createsafe fleets and safe drivers.

Related: Commercial auto insurance market update: Rough roadto profitability

Peter Young is an account manager and underwriter atthe BrownyardGroup, a leading program administrator providingspecialized insurance coverage for security firms, pest controloperators and other industry groups. He can be reached at[email protected].