MVR Monitoring: Case Study
On a Monday morning, your employee is on their way to a jobsite. While driving, they blow through a red light and hit another driver head on at 55 mph. Also in the car was the drivers wife and two children – all of which suffer from severe permanent injuries.
Sure, you (the business owner) weren’t driving the vehicle so you’re not personally at-fault for the accident. However, during the discovery process of the claim, it was discovered that your driver was cited with a DUI two weeks ago. Naturally, your employee failed to mention this to you and continued to show up to work and drive a company vehicle. And because you had no idea about the incident, you allowed them to. And that right there, is more than enough to determine that you (the employer) were negligent in allowing an employee to drive a company vehicle while having a DUI on their record.
As a result, the claim involving your company is now sitting on the desk of an ambulance-chasing attorney who is licking his chops.
MVR Monitoring: Is It Worth It?
Let’s look at the example above but with one alteration: your company has implemented a continuous MVR monitoring program. Now, when that employee is cited for a DUI, your company is notified and a copy of the employee’s MVR is sent directly to you. As a result, you inform the employee that they are no longer eligible to driver company vehicles and you completely insulate your business from any employer negligence claims that could possibly arise.
In that case, MVR monitoring is 100% worth it.
What Is MVR Monitoring?
Continuous MVR monitoring is a process that allows you to track your employees driving records on a consistent basis. At any point in time when one of your employees has an accident, receives a ticket, or has their license suspended, your company is notified immediately. In turn, your business is better prepared to take the necessary proactive measures to protect your interests.
How Does It Work?
There are a handful of companies out there that offer these services for businesses. Whether you have 2 drivers or 200, there’s a solution out there. At MIG, we partner with Embark Safety and the process is very simple. First, they run a baseline MVR for all drivers. Then, they continuously monitor those drivers MVRs throughout the year. If a new accident or citation occurs, the business is immediately notified and a copy of the employees MVR is pulled and sent directly to you.
What Does It Cost?
The cost for these services vary depending on the state your drivers are located in. Each state has their own set fees to pull MVRs. But, that cost is only incurred initially for the baseline MVR and whenever an MVR is pulled as a result of a new incident. So, the ongoing cost for these services can be as low as $3-$4/per driver per month. Let’s say you have 10 drivers, your monthly cost would be $30-$40.
So, Is It Worth It?
In the world we live in, it’s important as a business to take as many proactive safety measures as possible. Of course, it comes down to whether the cost of those measures is worth it. When it comes to MVR monitoring, in my opinion – it’s a no-brainer. For a few hundred dollars a year, you can easily prevent your business from being found liable for any negligence regarding your company drivers.
If you want to learn more about MVR monitoring or see what our partners at Embark have to offer, visit our website here to reach out.