Page 22 - Grapevine March-April 2020

In The Winery
Consider having a checklist for your drivers to
guide them through the proper steps expected of
them in the event of an incident. By having all the
proper procedures (and training) in place before
an accident, your winery and your drivers are more
apt to respond properly to an accident and not
react in a way that could have a detrimental impact
on your winery.
Inspections and Maintenance
“What gets inspected gets dealt with” is a man-
agement saying often stated and one that may
serve your winery well. Properly inspected and
maintained vehicles have a much greater chance of drivers so they know and can follow your proce-
operating correctly than vehicles that are neglect- dures safely, and assure that the vehicles you have
ed. It is important for you to have confidence in
your equipment. Steps your winery can take in this
regard include:
• Training drivers how to do a thorough inspec-
tion.
• Making sure all vehicles are Inspected (in writ- * A preventable accident is any traffic accident
ing) prior to use.
• Having repairs and maintenance issues reme-
died as promptly as needed.
• Having all physical damage reported to supervi-
sory management.
• In the event of a breakdown or weather related
condition, assuring your drivers know who to
notify for assistance.
• Having all repairs completed by licensed shop/
mechanic.
• Having a licensed mechanic/shop inspect each
vehicle on an annual basis.
• Having all vehicles receive periodic scheduled
maintenance; document this in each vehicle file
• Keeping maintenance files for each vehicle for a
minimum of two years.
• Completing preventative maintenance within
vehicle guidelines and the manufacturer’s rec-
ommendations.
Having well-maintained vehicles will give your
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winery the confidence that your vehicles are as
they should be and not the cause of an incident
due to a mechanical failure.
Conclusion
Implementing these kind of strategies effectively
for your winery will get you off to a great start in
managing your driving exposures. As a manager,
you have a responsibility to your employees, your
customers, and the general public to know who is
driving and that they meet the driver guidelines
you’ve established. You have a responsibility to
implement sound business procedures. train your
on the road are safe and well maintained.
There may be other components that will also
help in managing your winery’s driving exposures.
You should also consider talking to your insurance
agent to discuss your specific circumstances and
what else you might do to lessen your driving risks.
which results in property damage and/or personal
injury, regardless of who is injured, what prop-
erty was damaged, to what extent, or where it
occurred, in which the driver in question failed to
exercise every reasonable precaution or action
to avoid the accident. Driving to avoid prevent-
able accidents is defensive driving. The fact that
the driver was not charged with a traffic violation
by law enforcement is not part of this definition.
(Derived from the National Safety Council DDC-4
Guide)
** The National Safety Council defines defensive
driving as “driving to save lives, money and time, in
spite of the conditions around you and the actions
of others.”
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article is intended
for general informational purposes only and should
not be considered as all encompassing, or suitable
for all situations, conditions, and environments.
Please contact your attorney if you have any ques-
tions.
877-892-5332
2/19/20 4:12 PM