Did you know there are over 195 million licensed drivers on the road? Of those, an average of 41 million drivers, or about 20% of all people on the roadways receive a driving violation every year. While most violations may be minor, they add up quickly and can collectively pose a big risk to your company.
If it’s been a while since you checked your drivers’ motor vehicle records to see how they stack up, now is a good time! Order MVRs here. Remember, even your safest drivers can fall into risky or distracting behavior while driving.
Top Violations in 2021 (So Far!)
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 90% of traffic accidents are caused by human error from the following violations:
Common Moving Driver Violations (Driver’s Perspective):
• Speeding >10mph over the speed limit: One in every six drivers will receive a speeding ticket each year.
• Failure to obey traffic control laws: The most common and dangerous reported violation is running a red light. On average someone runs a red light every 20 minutes.
• Distracted Driving: Distracted driving alone causes 2.5 million car accidents each year. The image below shows some of the most common ways drivers become distracted.
• Drivers operating a vehicle with a revoked or suspended license. Drivers with a suspended license are 14 times more likely to cause vehicle accidents.
Only about seven percent of carriers who undergo an audit pass without a violation. If you employ commercial drivers, these are the most common violations affecting carriers:
Common CDL Violations (Carrier Perspective):
• Failure to implement an alcohol and drug testing policy: If employers fail to add a drug and alcohol testing policy, they can face fines and penalties. Between 2020 and 2021, there was a total of 70,652 drug and alcohol violations.
• Not using an appropriate method to record hours of service. All companies who have drivers that operate a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) must comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Hours of Service Regulations. Consequences for not complying can include removing a driver from the road.
• Not obtaining a proper Driver Qualification File. The FMCSA requires that carriers have a Driver Qualification File for each driver they employ. This file contains documents that demonstrate the driver is safe and eligible to be behind the wheel.
• Not having an employee’s Medical Certificate. All CDL drivers need to obtain a medical certificate and keep a copy with their employer. This year there have been 31,028 violations with drivers not having one.
How could a driver with violations affect your company?
Employees with multiple violations are considered high-risk drivers. This group is most likely to accumulate future violations and cause vehicle accidents. As a result, nuclear verdicts and accidents can cost employers up to or more than $10 million.
Retaining risky drivers not only affects your bottom-line but hurts your company’s reputation. High-risk drivers affect insurance rates and ultimately CSA Scores.
Have an active hand when it comes to safety:
There are several ways you can prevent violations from occurring. First, make driver training a priority. Educate your drivers to make the best decision while they are behind the wheel. Second, have frequent vehicle inspections to be sure your vehicle’s maintenance is up to date. Finally, monitor your driver. By using driver license monitoring technology, you can receive real-time alerts on your drivers if they would receive any violations. Driver license monitoring allows you to learn who your risky drivers are with real-time updates.
Stay up to date!
Be aware of your driver’s violations. Drivers who have a history of past violations are more likely to repeat history. By checking your drivers’ motor vehicle records frequently, you can be aware of the latest infractions to take action.
