Preparing drivers, vehicles helps Vancouver keep staff safe on road
Planning ahead and preparing drivers and vehicles are the cornerstones of the City of Vancouver’s road safety program for its employees.
The City has 4,400 staff authorized to drive for work. They receive driver orientation, assessment, and training. The City’s fleet has 6,500 vehicles, ranging from pickups to garbage trucks to bucket trucks. Each one gets inspected and maintained regularly.
And the City tracks crashes and near misses so it can understand and address the causes to prevent future incidents.
“We want to make sure that when our people head out, they’ve got everything they need to stay safe,” explains Derrick Out, the City’s manager for driver safety and compliance. “It lets our drivers know we care.”
The program applies year-round and covers driving in a variety of conditions. At this time of year, for example, the City reminds its drivers how to reduce their risk in wintry weather.
While heavy snowfall is rare in Vancouver, “we get a lot of black ice,” Out notes. “It also gets dark for longer periods of time, and that creates more problems when mixed with rain and fog.”
Orientating, assessing drivers
The City’s driver safety program begins at the hiring stage for every employee who drives for work. Out’s team checks each driver’s abstract and claims record. Then it does a driver orientation and skills assessment.
Passenger vehicle drivers attend a 2-hour theory course and a driving assessment. Staff hauling loads get 4-hour course, load securement training, and a driving assessment to ensure they know and follow procedures for things like wheel chocking. “A lot of Vancouver is on a hill,” Out explains.
The City invested in 2 simulators to let drivers safely practice and test their abilities. “We can set them up to simulate any type of conditions.”
Assessments continue throughout the driver’s career. Every 2 years, for example, drivers of plows or salters are assessed to ensure they’re ready for winter operation.
Inspecting and equipping vehicles
The safety program concentrates on the City’s fleet too. “We make sure every vehicle gets a pre-trip inspection,” Out reports.
Each vehicle has a first aid kit and fire extinguisher as well as a driver’s handbook. The guide includes step-by-step procedures for drivers to follow if they’re in a crash.
“My team also does safety checks,” Out says. They make sure documents and first aid kits are up to date and in the vehicle, verify lights work, etc.
Reviewing crash reports
The City tracks all driving-related events such as collisions. Every week, an incident committee reviews the reports, assessing severity and the need for training to prevent a recurrence. “We’re always looking for trends and trying to curb any bad habits,” says Out.
If any driver has more than 2 preventable incidents in 12 months, another assessment is done to help them upgrade their skills.
Out’s team uses techniques learned in Road Safety at Work’s online crash investigation course and adopted our forms to help its recordkeeping.
Communicating with employees
What tip would Out offer to other employers to help their driver safety program succeed?
“Communication,” he says. The City updates its website to address seasonal driving issues. It sends a monthly safety bulletin to all departments. And it includes road safety topics in crew meetings.
“Talk to other organizations too, to get the best ideas,” Out suggests.
Many of Vancouver’s driving safety steps can be adopted by any organization employing people who drive at any time for work.
Joining the Winter Driving Safety Alliance
The City of Vancouver’s commitment to preventing crashes and injuries includes membership in the Winter Driving Safety Alliance. The dedicated committee of public and private sector organizations supports our annual Shift into Winter campaign. “I thought it complimented and could actually enhance many of our programs,” Out says.