|
Are You Sitting On A "Liability" Time Bomb?
If you have take-home fleet vehicles or even simply have a headquarter-based
fleet, you could be taking a very sobering gamble if you don't have
a GPS solution.
Left
unchecked, your drivers could cripple your business with reckless
or risky behaviors. If your drivers get in an accident, drive drunk
or commit a crime in a company-provided vehicle, your business is
liable for monetary damages and more!
Are
you aware of the true extent of your liability as an employer? Consider
this multiple choice question below:
You
may be surprised to learn that the correct answer is "d"--Your
company is 100% liable for accidents or crimes committed by drivers
using your company vehicles. Worse yet, if a crime is committed by
a driver using your fleet vehicle, your insurance company may refuse
to cover any damages. The courts can go after your personal assets,
including your business, personal income, savings accounts and even
your home. Moreover, your insurance provider will likely increase
your premium or possibly non-renew your policy.
The
following are two true examples of what can happen when your drivers
engage in risky behaviors with your vehicles:
Drunk
Driving: One business owner explained that he had not been monitoring
the night and take-home use of his company vehicles. His administrative
assistant typically operated their GPS fleet management solution,
but he had a serious situation develop that required him to find
out where his driver had been the previous night. This driver had
been arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in the company
van.
"...the
owner discovered that his driver had been
at a local bar for more than 5 hours..."
The owner was sent to an impound lot to retrieve his company vehicle
that morning. By reviewing the vehicle stops for the previous night,
the owner discovered that his driver had been at a local bar for
more than 5 hours prior to being pulled over on the way home. The
owner then "edited" the name of the bar in the location column and
pulled up a history of that location for the previous 3 months.
He was shocked by what he found.
Not only had that driver been frequenting this bar at least 3 times
a week but, two of his other drivers had been using their company
vehicles to meet at this same bar regularly on their way home from
work! In this case, the owner was extremely fortunate. He discovered
this serious liability danger before any true disaster occurred.
Losing
Everything: A company owner in Savannah, Georgia suffered tragic
consequences that could have been avoided if he had just installed
a GPS fleet management system. Arguing that he knew his drivers
and was certain that they never engaged in risky behavior with his
vehicles, this owner rejected the idea of using a GPS solution.
Sadly, his false assumptions cost him his business.
Unbeknownst
to this owner, one of his employees in Savannah was regularly visiting
a girlfriend in Atlanta, Georgia, nearly five hours away. On one
such unauthorized trip, this driver was intoxicated and using the
company vehicle to tow his boat across the state. Leaving his girlfriend
and heading home, the driver lost control of his vehicle and slammed
into a car carrying a family of four. The driver survived but the
innocent mother, father and their two children died at the crash
scene.
"The
owner's company was held 100% liable for damages
resulting from the driver's crime, because
he was using a company vehicle."
The
owner's company was held 100% liable for damages resulting from
the driver's crime, because he was using a company vehicle. Frantic,
the owner reconsidered installing a GPS fleet management system
for his business. But it was a case of too little, too late.
The
owner's insurance covered only a small fraction of the final judgment,
and he was forced to declare bankruptcy. During the bankruptcy hearing,
an incorporation violation was revealed, opening the owner's personal
assets to seizure by the court. He eventually lost everything; his
business, his bank account, and even his new house.
With
a GPS fleet management system, your business can have the ability
to accurately monitor your vehicles and significantly minimize your
liability concerns. You insurance company
may also offer you lower rates if you install a GPS solution.
© 2005 FleetBoss Global Positioning Solutions, Inc. All rights
reserved.
|