POLICIES
Overview
As a City of New Carlisle employee, you are constantly in the public eye. Every time you drive a vehicle in the performance of your duties, you are representing the City. You are not only responsible for your safety and security but the safety and security of citizens and visitors to the City. As a result, all City drivers are required to exercise the utmost care and caution while operating a motor vehicle. Employees who regularly or occasionally operate a City owned or personally owned vehicle while in the employ of the City of New Carlisle, are required to abide by all applicable State laws, in addition to these rules and regulations.
Definitions
Vehicle – Unless otherwise specified, a vehicle is any automobile, truck, or piece of equipment allowed to operate on the streets and highways of the State of Ohio, whether licensed or not.
Assigned Vehicle – A vehicle that is provided to a particular employee. The employee is considered the principal driver of the vehicle and may or may not use the vehicle to commute to and from work or otherwise operate the vehicle after normal business hours.
Driving Record Acceptability
Any employee who drives a City or personal vehicle while in the employ of the City, whose driving record shows any one of the following conditions, will be considered to have an unacceptable driving record and will not be permitted to drive until his or her record no longer exhibits one of the criteria listed below:
1. One or more serious violation(s) in the last year.*
2. Two or more at-fault accidents in the last year, where the accident results in property damage in excess of $3,000.00.
3. More than three moving violations in the last two-year period, including traffic citations received as a result of an accident.
4. Any combination of traffic accidents and/or moving violations equaling five or more in the last two years.
* Serious violations include, but are not limited to driving while intoxicated, driving while under the influence of drugs, negligent homicide arising out of the use of a motor vehicle (gross negligence), operating a vehicle without a license, using a motor vehicle during the commission of a felony, aggravated assault with a vehicle, operating a vehicle without the owner's authority (grand theft), permitting an unlicensed person to drive, reckless driving, speed contest, and hit and run driving.
Unless otherwise noted above, moving violations include those that involve personal vehicles that are or are not being used during employment.
At-fault accidents that occur in an "emergency vehicle" when the vehicle is on an emergency call (e.g. fire fighters driving a fire engine in response to an alarm and police officers responding code 3), will be counted only if the accident is determined by the safety committee to have been "avoidable".
General Rules and Regulations
1. Only employees who sign the accompanying License/Insurance/Maintenance Requirements Form are allowed to drive a City owned or personal vehicle while performing work for the City.
2. Vehicles are to be driven in a manner such as to create a favorable impression to the public. Drivers shall exercise special precautions when:
a. Children are playing on a roadway, alley, or near the curb,
b. Passing schools or playgrounds,
c. Approaching persons on bicycles, and
d. Driving during inclement weather.
3. No employee under the age of 18 is allowed to drive a City owned or personal vehicle while performing work for the City.
4. Authorization for temporary/seasonal employees to operate vehicles shall be limited, where practical. However, if authorized, these employees must sign the License/Insurance/Maintenance Requirements Form and approved by the Service Director.
5. Vehicle Operators must possess a current Ohio Operators license appropriate to the vehicle being driven.
6. Any employee who operates a vehicle on a regular or occasional basis is required to report any license suspension or revocation, including those that result from the operation of personal vehicles, to his or her immediate supervisor. All reportable accidents and/or moving violations shall be forwarded to the City Manager.
7. Drivers will not operate vehicles when under the influence of alcohol or illicit and/or driving impairing drugs.
8. Drivers will use the proper signals when stopping, turning, or slowing down.
9. All drivers will give a pedestrian the right-of-way.
10. Flasher lights on trucks, cars, and equipment should be used as emergency or work conditions require. Flasher lights are not to be used as a excuse to gain the right of way or to break traffic rules.
11. All traffic laws of the State of Ohio, including signs and speed limits, will be obeyed.
12. Employees driving vehicles during their employment are responsible for insuring that the vehicle is properly maintained and in a generally safe operating condition.
13. Employees shall not transport passengers, except for those who are employees of the City, or are conducting business with or on behalf of the City.
14. No one is permitted to ride outside the passenger compartment when a vehicle is in motion.
15. Employees driving personal vehicles while performing work for the City will maintain primary automobile liability insurance coverage on the vehicle being driven. State required minimum bodily injury/physical damage limits must be maintained.
16. Personal vehicles will not be used to pull trailers or haul equipment while being used in City related business.
17. City owned vehicles shall be kept free of having placed on or within any stickers or signs which indicate any political candidate, party, organization, or theme, are in poor taste or relate to specific social concerns that may be found objectionable by citizens.
Seat Belts
All employees shall use their seat belts (including shoulder straps) while driving vehicles other than equipment. Employees shall wear seat belts, if provided, when operating equipment. All passengers are required to occupy only those seating positions equipped with seat belts and use them.
Backing
Backing of vehicles should be discouraged, given the rate of accidents that take place during this operation. No vehicles should be backed up, unless the driver cannot avoid it and he has a clear view of the entire area to be backed into. If such a view is not present, the driver, if alone, will get out of the vehicle and inspect the area to be backed into or, if a second person is in the vehicle, the second person will get out and guide the driver using appropriate hand and/or voice signals.
Vehicle Inspection
City owned personal passenger cars and pick-ups will be inspected on at least a quarterly basis. Inspections will focus on identifying any obvious physical damage, inoperable running lights and horns, loose steering, and inappropriate tire condition. Records of these inspections will be maintained. Any deficiency encountered will be reported to the employee's Department Head immediately. It will be the Department Head's responsibility to insure that appropriate action is taken to correct the problem.
Maintenance
All City owned vehicles are to be maintained according to the manufacturer's specifications. Records of this maintenance activity are to be retained. All personal vehicles driven while performing work for the City shall be maintained in a manner that promotes safe travel.
Parking
City vehicles or personal vehicles driven by City employees while performing work for the City are not to park in "NO PARKING" zones. No vehicle or piece of equipment is to be left unattended with the ignition key left in the ignition. All vehicles will be locked when parked and unoccupied.
Special Equipment
Special equipment such as tractors, fire engines, or any vehicle that has special devices added for specific types of work, will require that the driver receive formal instruction prior to usage. This special training will comply with all appropriate OSHA, NFPA, and DOT Standards and rules and regulations.
1. Explanation and demonstration of all control devices.
2. Explanation and demonstration of all safety equipment.
3. A walk through of all inspection criteria.
4. Demonstration of operation.
5. Supervised new driver operation.
The departments will retain written documentation of all special training.
Proof of Insurance
Each City owned vehicle should have an insurance card kept in the glove compartment or attached to the driver's sun visor. Missing insurance cards should be reported to the Service Director. Any employee using their personal vehicle while performing work for the City should carry a proof of insurance card.
PROCEDURES
Driving Record Acceptability
The City of New Carlisle will obtain Motor Vehicle Records on all employees who drive once every year or more. These, along with any Uniform Police Traffic Accident and Ohio Uniform Accident Reports will be reviewed by the City to determine if any employees who drive have an unacceptable driving record. Those who do will be notified in writing by the Service Director using the Notice of an Unacceptable Driving Record form, included in this policy. A copy of the completed form will be placed in the employee's personnel file.
Roster of Drivers
An official roster of drivers will be maintained by the City. This document will highlight the number of at-fault accidents, citations, and major violations that drivers have had in the last three years.
Training
Employees who drive while performing work for the City will attend a defensive driving course upon being hired and every three years afterwards, unless circumstances dictate that additional training is required. Drivers with one "at-fault" accident and/or two moving violations within a prior one-year period are required to attend.
Record Keeping
1. Any notice of an unacceptable driving record will become part of an employee's personnel file.
2. Motor vehicle records and uniform police traffic accident/Ohio uniform traffic accident reports will be maintained by the City in a central file.
3. Signed and dated license/insurance/maintenance requirements forms will be maintained by the City in a central file.
NOTICE OF UNACCEPTABLE DRIVING RECORD
TO:
DATE:
After reviewing your Motor Vehicle Record as supplied by the State of Ohio and analyzing any accidents within the last three years that you were involved in, it was determined that your driving record does not meet the standards of acceptability as set down in the General Driving Rules and Regulations. As a result, your driving privileges have been suspended until your record once again is acceptable. Given no further moving citations and/or at-fault accidents, it is projected that your record will once again be acceptable on .
A copy of this form is being forwarded to the head of your department. A copy will be placed in your personnel file.
If you have any questions concerning the suspension of driving privileges, please do not hesitate to contact me.
LICENSE/INSURANCE/MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS
I, the undersigned, agree, as a requirement for driving a Department provided or personal vehicle during the course of my employment, will maintain a valid State of Ohio Drivers' License.
I, the undersigned, agree, as a requirement for using my personal vehicle during the course of my employment with , will retain automobile liability insurance for bodily injury and property damage on the vehicle that I am driving for a least the minimums required by the State of Ohio. I further agree to maintain my vehicle in, to the best of my knowledge, a roadworthy condition.
NAME:
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
(Ord. 07-17. Passed 5-21-07.)