Church vehicles should not be assigned without taking the following steps.
1) Vehicle is covered by an active insurance policy. This policy should be reviewed to ensure that sufficient coverage has been assigned.
2) Vehicle is in good repair. An on-going vehicle maintenance log should be monitored to ensure that maintenance is conducted as required.
3) Only those drivers which have been cleared to drive by leadership should be assigned a vehicle.
4) A motor vehicle check should be obtained on each driver annually.
5) A church policy should be established to determine which violations warrant additional monitoring or prohibitive usage of a vehicle. A basic policy might state that anyone with two or more moving violations and one accident within a three year period is prohibited from driving. DUI and reckless driving convictions might warrant a 5 year restriction from driving. Additional considerations are needed for anyone with a current alcohol or drug problem.
6) If vehicles are used daily, you may want to consider a policy requiring each driver to complete a log reflecting miles driven, gas purchased, and vehicle defects found. The log would be reviewed daily by leadership and maintained for a limited time period.
7) At minimum, each driver should be required to check the vehicle tires, turn signals, seat belts in working order, sufficient gas in tank, etc…
8) Those driving school buses require additional scrutiny such as proper driving license and additional on-going training.
These are basic steps that will assist in reducing liability and protect church members and the general public. There may be additional requirements needed to ensure the on-going safety of all parties.
Disclaimer: This article is written for general information purposes only and is not intended to be, and should not be used as, a primary source for making security or financial investment decisions.
