Assessing Drivers Before They Get Behind the Wheel
A quick MVR check can help your commercial clients make smarter hiring decisions and better manage their auto risk.
When a job involves driving, hiring practices have a direct impact on a business’s risk exposure as well as their wallet. That’s why encouraging clients to require MVRs as part of the job applicant process can be a simple but valuable risk-management step. An MVR gives employers insight into an applicant’s driving history, including certain violations, accidents, and license information. Individual driving records are available at state DMV offices for the individual applying and they should be able to hand the employer their record when applying for a position.
For your clients, the key is to make MVR quality part of the hiring approval process. Businesses should establish clear guidelines for acceptable driving histories and apply those standards consistently to all applicants for driving positions. This can help employers avoid relying solely on an applicant’s description of their driving record before hiring and investing in a driver that may be a foreseeable issue or increase in account driver factor, thus increasing the premium.
MVR screenings shouldn’t end once the employee is hired. Periodic MVR reviews, license verification, and driver-safety training can help businesses stay proactive as their employees’ driving records change. As an insurance agent, this is a great opportunity to talk with commercial clients about how driver selection and ongoing monitoring fit into their overall risk-management strategy.
A good hiring policy starts before the employee ever gets behind the wheel. Encourage your clients to have a clear, consistent MVR screening process in place. It’s a small step that can help insureds make better hiring decisions, keep driver safety top of mind, and help alleviate future premium increases.
