Safety Begins with Knowing

This post was written by: Channing Puls

Motor carriers, at least once a year (every 12 months), must review the motor vehicle record (MVR) of each driver under their DOT#. Motor carriers must consider any evidence that the driver has violated any federal regulations and is qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle.

The Impact of license suspensions:

How many drivers have a suspended license?

• • 7% of drivers have a suspended license.
  • 75% of suspended drivers continue to drive.
  • 39% are suspended for non-driving offenses.
  • 14x higher crash rate for suspended drivers vs. non-suspended drivers.
  • 1 in 5 drivers with a suspended license are involved in a fatal crash.

Driving license suspensions:

• • Reckless driving
  • careless driving
  • leaving the scene of an accident
  • accumulation of traffic tickets
  • assault of another motorist
  • multiple violations of DUI

Non-driving license suspensions

• • Failure to pay fines or appear in court
  • Non-driving related drug violations
  • Unpaid child support
  • Default on student loans

Employers have an ongoing obligation to track drivers’ license status and MVR history on an annual basis. What companies have started to do is continuous MVR monitoring to review to ensure driver qualification and mitigate risk and exposure. Motor carriers not doing this puts the company at additional risk and exposure.