By Ken Robinson
July 14, 2022
There are risks to driving. Those risks apply to the employees driving every day for their role, and the companies they drive for. Driving employees are essential to most companies. Unfortunately, by being on the road as much as they are, mobile workers are at a higher risk of accident. And those accidents are expensive. Work-related motor vehicle crashes cost employers upwards of $66,119 per million miles of vehicle travel. Companies do have options when it comes to the safety of their driving workforce and others on the road around them. One of the first steps employers can take in the hiring process is pulling an MVR. However, companies often are not aware of the continuous MVR monitoring option and the benefits it presents.
But before diving into continuous MVR monitoring, let’s start with the basics. What is an MVR?
An MVR, or Motor Vehicle Record, is an individual’s driving record. This record includes accident reports, traffic citations, license suspensions and DUI convictions. The information provided in each MVR and how far back it reaches varies by state. However, most companies are familiar with and have used them.
The frequency of MVR checks and which employees are screened is entirely up to the employer. There is no legal requirement forcing them to do so. Still, companies generally pull them for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most frequent instance of pulling an MVR is during the hiring process. If a company is hiring an employee to drive for their business, they want to know three things: that they have insurance, a solid driving record and that they’re a good fit for the role. If the MVR comes back with multiple traffic citations or a suspension, the job is more likely to go to another candidate.
All too often, that’s where employers stop pulling MVRs—at or before hire. Which means that, if an employee’s driving behavior grows increasingly reckless, the company will have no insight into that behavior. Often, by the time they do become aware, it’s too late. To avoid potential legal ramifications, more diligent businesses will run MVR checks more frequently. These might be as requested, yearly or even continuous monitoring.
Continuous MVR monitoring, as the name implies, will notify a company on a more regular basis. As soon as an employee’s driving record is updated, the system will notify the company about the infraction. If nothing happens, no notification will be sent. However, if a driving record is updated, the company will be made aware.
As most companies only use yearly or during the hiring process, continuous monitoring may seem excessive. The fact is that auto accidents are expensive to employers. According to the CDC, vehicle crashes cost companies an average of $75,000. Unlike other options, continuous MVR monitoring enables employers to be proactive. Let’s look at an example.
An enterprise beverage company looking to fill a distributor position interviews Burt Bandit. As it happens, he’s a good candidate. They run an MVR to check his driving record. When that comes back clean, they offer him the job. Five years later, they’re stunned to find Burt Bandit has been driving recklessly. They only discover this following an incident involving a multiple vehicle pile-up Burt Bandit is found to be at fault.
If that same company used annual MVR’s, they would have noticed the accident Burt got into the year before the major accident. With that information, they may have decided to do something to address the emerging pattern of risky driving behavior. However, as annual MVR’s only report on incidents at the end of the year, it would not have caught the string of reckless behavior leading up to the accident.
Now let’s say the company has continuous MVR monitoring. Two years into the job, Burt Bandit receives a citation for speeding. Then, the following week, he receives a warning for reckless driving around a number of semis. Once his driving record is updated, the company is aware of these infractions and meets with him to talk about his driving behavior. They institute a strike policy, and this is strike one. Three months later, they receive an MVR reporting he was involved in a police chase across the South. At the news of this, the company decides to part ways with Burt Bandit in favor of a less reckless driver.
Continuous motor vehicle record monitoring can greatly improve a company’s insight into risky drivers in their driving workforce. Catching bad driving behavior early allows employers to address the issue before its impact becomes larger. However, MVRs are only one aspect of a comprehensive safety program. For a safety program to be truly comprehensive, it should include insurance verification and driver safety training to correct bad driving habits.
Ready to take the next step in protecting your company and its driving employees? Contact us to learn more about our safety offerings.
With Motus, accurately capturing business mileage has never been faster or easier.
Contact us today or take a virtual tour of the Motus Platform.
One Pager 
Report