How Safe Is Your Transportation Program?

By Eric Spacek

Trust and safety are primary concerns when it comes to handling transportation services for any religious organization. If transportation problems occur, the financial and emotional toll on your ministry may be far greater than just dollars in expense. This is why it's essential that your organization have a sound transportation program. The time and effort you spend today in developing important processes and procedures will pay large dividends in protecting your ministry's future.

Industry experts recommend all religious organizations have a transportation committee and written policy statement. Why? Because accidents involving buses or vans driven by church employees or church volunteers happen frequently.

By formalizing the transportation program, your organization is better protected against potential problems. This can be a simple, but critically important, procedure. Start by forming a transportation committee. It should include representatives from administrative staff, drivers, maintenance workers and church members, particularly parents of children using transportation services.

The committee is responsible for developing a written policy that clearly establishes standards for all drivers and vehicles. These standards are critically important because accidents are typically the result of basic driver safety violations, lack of safety precautions, and/or poor vehicle maintenance. Below, we have outlined the basics of a transportation policy.

• Driver Selection. It pays to be particular. Maintain a list of qualified drivers and never deviate from that list. Make sure all drivers are appropriately licensed and qualified in the vehicles they will drive. Be selective when interviewing potential drivers and check references. Understand the state licensing requirements and never make exceptions to those standards.

When selecting a driver, consider the age risk factor. Accident statistics show higher risk for drivers under age 25 or over age 70. Driving records are vitally important. Avoid drivers with any serious violations and/or more than one moving violation in the past three years.

Finally, do not omit personal insurance coverage, especially when using vehicles not owned by your organization. We recommend a minimum coverage of $100,000/$300,000 primary with a $1 million umbrella.

• Driver Training. Your drivers must be trained on the safe operation of the vehicle they will be operating. Send your drivers to a defensive driving training program. Driving vans/buses and towing trailers present significantly different driving challenges than normal passenger car operation. Also, adverse weather and road conditions, caravaning and transporting passengers all present hazards the untrained driver may not be prepared to handle.

When transporting passengers, extreme care must be taken during passenger loading and unloading. Pick up and drop off passengers on the same side of the street as their destination. If a child must cross the street, provide an adult escort. Plan transportation routes in advance to ensure this is done.

• Vehicle Maintenance & Inspection. A single person should be assigned responsibility for maintaining all organization-owned vehicles. Restricting use of non-owned vehicles should be a primary concern because of the exposure to additional risk. Make sure vehicles are inspected before and after all trips. Records help too. Keeping good records of maintenance and licensing compliance is an excellent way of tracking important information.
• Safety Rules. Drivers must meet every requirement of safety as defined by your transportation committee. For example, seatbelts must be worn at all times by the driver and passengers and any observed or reported misconduct must be dealt with immediately.
• Driver Assistance. Outlining written rules for the transportation of children, youth and the elderly is particularly important. For example, we advise that an adult assistant be provided on every trip so the driver has access to immediate help with any distraction or other adverse situation.
• Commercial Auto Insurance. It is essential to have adequate insurance that covers your transportation risks. Business automobile insurance provides that protection. Your local insurance agent can advise your organization on coverage for owned vehicles and coverage for the ministry when privately owned vehicles are used.

Screening drivers pays

You cannot place a price on trust. The screening of bus drivers is a critical part of the protection of your religious organization's reputation. We recommend the process be done by a professional screening organization. Why? Because professional screeners can deliver excellent counsel and timely, accurate information you can count on.

Here are examples of the kinds of information professional screeners can provide to help you select drivers:

• Motor Vehicle Records. It's critically important to know the driving record of each driver. Motor vehicle records provide an independent source for this information. You will learn, for example, if prospective drivers have been convicted of violations for accidents, speeding, driving while intoxicated, license suspension or other types of major traffic violations.
• Criminal Records. Records at both the county and statewide level are thoroughly researched. If a person has a history of deviant behavior, like child or sexual abuse, screeners will report that to you.
• Verifications. Validation of education and employment histories is another indicator of responsibility and/or potential problems. Getting quality employment and education verification for church staff has become increasingly difficult. This is why we recommend that task be assigned to an outside source that specializes in verifications.

Often, screening services are a luxury you might think your organization couldn't afford. But it is far more cost-effective to invest in a screening service that can reduce potential risk than deal with the harsh financial and emotional realities that typically accompany transportation accidents.

Some companies, such as GuideOne, have developed partnerships with nationally recognized screening firms. Policyholders of these companies are often eligible for substantial discounts on screening services. For houses of worship, we recommend that--at minimum--formal screening of drivers be considered an essential component to any transportation program. This is a procedure you cannot afford to forego.

Clearly define the rules of the road

Prevention always pays when it comes to safety. Make sure everyone understands transportation procedures developed by your transportation committee and follows them on every trip. Here are several examples of basic safety procedures:

• Driver Information. For every trip, the driver must be informed of at least three things--destination, planned stops, and special passenger concerns such as health problems.
• Driver Assistance. We recommend an adult driver assistant be present on all trips. This is particularly important when transporting young children or youth. Why? Because the adult assistant is available to deal with distractions when necessary, making sure the driver concentrates on the road.
• Seat Belts. If the vehicle is equipped with seat belts, all occupants must use them. Never overload a vehicle beyond its occupancy rating. For young children, state child restraint laws must be complied with.
• Caravaning. Written directions must be provided for every driver. There also must be a schedule for stops and plans for communicating during emergencies. While caravaning might seem logical and convenient, it is not necessarily safe. Vehicles should never be expected to keep pace with others in front of them.
• Breakdowns. Your transportation policy should include specific instructions for breakdowns. For example, make sure hazard lights are flashing and flares are available. When using flares, place them 100 and 200 feet to the rear of the vehicle. Keep passengers in the vehicle at all times unless fire or other dangers pose problems. Call for help as soon as possible and be prepared to make alternative transportation available to passengers.
• Accidents. Written accident instructions are typically available in convenient packages from your local insurance agent. We recommend that package always be kept in each vehicle. Information includes when to call police; how to report accidents; obtaining witness contacts; notification of your organization and families; and notification of your insurance company. You also can include your own organization's policies and procedures in addition to the standard information.

Create a policy checklist

It's human nature to think that accidents only happen to others. But that's the kind of thinking that leads to reaction to problems instead of planning ahead for prevention. Proaction--thinking ahead--is why your religious organization needs to start with these fundamentals of a safe transportation program:

• Form a transportation committee;
• Create a written policy statement; and
• Make sure your policy is followed on each and every trip.

It Can't Happen to Us

Far too often, religious organizations are faced with serious human and financial consequences as a result of transportation accidents. In the vast majority of cases, basic safety violations or lack of precautions are the cause. Following are several real-life examples:

• Breaking the Law. The most common violations include not using seatbelts, vehicle overloading, dangerous caravaning, unlicensed drivers, drivers without a Commercial Drivers License, unsafe vehicles and high-risk activities.

For example, in one situation a 15-passenger church van was used to transport members from a service. The van was loaded with 19 members, some of them children. A front tire blew out and the van rolled down an embankment. All of the 19 members were ejected, two were killed and 17 injured, some critically. The driver was charged with second degree homicide because of vehicle and seat belt violations.

• Unqualified Drivers. Often, church drivers are not properly trained and experienced in the vehicles they are operating. In one case, a church van full of children was also pulling a trailer of canoes and camping gear. Headed for a youth outing, the driver of the van had little or no experience driving the vehicle or towing equipment. The driver, unfamiliar with the vehicle's limited acceleration, pulled out in front of a speeding car. That poor judgement resulted in an accident that included multiple deaths.
• High-Risk Activities. Activities such as hayrides, scavenger hunts and challenge contests cause many transportation accidents. For example, a hay trailer is being pulled on a rural road by a farm tractor. Loaded with 25 children and one adult, the trailer has no sides and open wheels. A young boy, swinging his legs at the front of the trailer, catches his foot in the open wheel. He is pulled to the pavement in front of the trailer tire and critically injured when the wheels roll over him.

These examples, which are not uncommon, illustrate the fundamental need for a well-planned transportation policy. Taking action, rather than being reactive, is time well spent and the best "insurance" policy your religious organization can buy.