SECTION X: VEHICLE FLEET SAFETY POLICY
The operation of vehicles is required in many aspects of local government employment. The purpose of the Vehicle Fleet Safety Policy is to ensure that acceptable standards of proficiency and safety are maintained by each public official, department head, and employee who operates a vehicle on County business. For the purposes of Section X, the term "employee” shall include any public official, department head or employee.
1. Selection of employees who will be required to drive full or part-time shall be done with care and coordinated between the Personnel Department and department head.
2. Motor Vehicle Records Check: The Personnel Department may run a Motor Vehicle Records Check on any employee or volunteer driving a vehicle on County business. Vehicle Operator Records shall be maintained by the Personnel Department.
3. The Motorpool director shall coordinate County Vehicle Fleet Safety and Loss Control programs with the Risk Manager.
4. The Motorpool director shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of motorpool vehicles and shall coordinate the maintenance and repair of departmental vehicles with the department head or his/her designee.
B. Guidelines for Use of Vehicles by Employees:
1. Only County officials and employees may operate or ride in County vehicles.
2. All vehicles used for County business shall be operated in a safe and economical manner. County vehicles shall not be used for activities that may damage the vehicles.
3. Driver's License: All drivers shall have a valid California Driver's license for the vehicle operated.
4. Motor Vehicle Laws: All applicable motor vehicle laws shall be adhered to. The driver shall pay fines or penalties levied for violations for which the driver is directly responsible.
5. Authorized Persons: No unauthorized person shall be allowed to either operate or ride in County vehicles. Transporting family members in County vehicles shall be allowed only when the family member is accompanying an employee on official out-of-County business and only upon the prior written approval of the Department Head and County Administrator.
This provision does not prevent the transportation of independent contractors or members of the public in County vehicles when such transportation is provided in accordance with a specific County program and for a public purpose (e.g., IMAAA and Health & Human Services transporting members of the public to medical appointments).
6. Seat Belt Use: All County-owned vehicles shall be equipped with seat belts and restraint systems. Private vehicles being used on County business shall also be equipped with seat belts. All persons in a County vehicle or in a private vehicle being used on County business must use seat belts any time the vehicle is in motion. The driver of the vehicle is responsible for ensuring that all occupants of the vehicle are wearing seat belts before the vehicle is put into motion.
7. Personal Liability: Employees may be held personally liable for damage to County equipment and other penalties may be assessed if damage occurs to a County vehicle through negligence or illegal activity. Employees may also be held personally liable when, outside the course and scope of their employment, they cause damage to other persons or property while driving a County vehicle.
8. Keys shall not be left in unattended vehicles, even when parked in secured enclosures.
9. Personal property such as radios or air conditioners shall not be attached to a County vehicle.
10. All vehicle collisions or property damage accidents will be reported and investigated as per policy.
11. County vehicles shall be used for official use only.
12. Vehicles will be operated only when they are in safe operating condition. Each employee driving a vehicle on business shall inspect the vehicle to ensure that the vehicle is in sound operating condition. A checklist (attached hereto as Exhibit 11) is included in each vehicle.
13. Any employee performing work which requires the operation of a County vehicle must notify his/her immediate supervisor in those cases where his/her license is expired, suspended or revoked and/or is unable to obtain an occupational permit from the State Department of Licensing. Failure to report shall be cause for disciplinary action.
14. No employee shall drive a County vehicle unless certified to operate it by the employee's supervisor.
15. Insurance Requirements for Personal Vehicle Use: Any employee using a personal vehicle on County business shall be required to maintain auto liability insurance with minimum coverage levels of $300,000 combined single limit or $100,000/person $300,000/occurrence for bodily injury liability and property liability. In the event of a non-preventable vehicle accident or an accident in which the County employee is not at fault, the County will reimburse the employee's personal deductible to a maximum of $250.00.
1. Driver's Awareness Training: The County may require that employees or volunteers driving vehicles on County business satisfactorily complete a driver's awareness class.
2. Hearing and Vision Test: The County may require that employees or volunteers driving vehicles on County business satisfactorily complete a yearly hearing and vision test and answer a medical questionnaire.
3. Storage of Vehicles: Except upon prior written approval of the County Administrator and Department Head, County vehicles shall be stored at either the Independence or Bishop yards. An employee may be granted permission to take a County vehicle home overnight when attendance at official County business takes place late at night after normal working hours or early in the morning prior to normal working hours. This policy shall not apply to those departments where alternative storage arrangements are necessary to promote public health and safety.
4. Each driver's privilege to operate a vehicle on official business extends only as long as the driver operates the vehicle in a safe and efficient manner. A record of "preventable" accidents shall be cause for appropriate disciplinary action.
5. Vehicles shall contain appropriate warning and safety devices as needed.
6. All vehicular accidents involving County vehicles or personal vehicles used on County business, no matter how minor, shall be investigated and reported promptly in accordance with Section V: Incident/Loss Investigations.
Previous Injury and Illness Prevention Plan Next
Disclaimer: The County of Inyo reserves the right to make changes and improvements to its Web site at any time and without
notice, and assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies.
Copyright © 2001 County of Inyo
Last Updated: October 13, 2005