WorldWide Drilling Resource

Keeping insurance costs and expenses to a minimum is important. According to the National Ground Water Association, rear-end collisions are the most common vehicle-related accidents among its members. What does this tell us? Obviously, drivers aren’t paying enough attention to the road. This is something easily controlled if you are driving with safety in mind. Water well drilling professionals drive big trucks with heavy rigs attached. Have you ever seen one of these trucks smash into the back of a compact car? I hope not, because it isn’t pretty. Not only can a careless accident like this put your truck and rig out of commission, it could be devastating for those in the compact car you just hit. What if you have several trucks driving to a job and one rear-ends the other? Trust me, it happens - and will put both vehicles in the repair shop. The bottom line here is these accidents could all be avoided if the drivers had safety in mind. So, how do we begin to work with safety in mind? These tips will help better manage your driving safety: 1 Thoroughly screen all drivers - Run a motor vehicle report to make sure drivers are maintaining a valid driver’s license and safe driving record. 1 Train all drivers - Make sure drivers know to allow a safe distance between them and the vehicle in front. Re- member, heavy vehicles stop slower than light vehicles. Take advantage of bad weather days to talk to employees about safety training. 1 Maintain your vehicles - Take time to make sure your vehicles and equipment are in good working order. Worn brakes will impede the vehicles’ ability to stop. 1 Communicate safety rules regularly - Talk to employees and drivers about avoiding distractions when driving. This means keep the radio volume down, no talking on cell phones, and certainly no texting. Take a few minutes each morning to remind employees to drive and work with safety in mind. 1 Check traffic and weather conditions - Knowing what’s out there before you hit the road will allow you the proper time to prepare for possible adverse conditions. Check weather reports, and respect adverse road conditions. 1 Check your insurance policy - Make sure your commercial auto insurance is up to par and ready to respond when a BAD DAY does come along! Safe work behavior can contribute directly to the bottom line. The more profitable your company, the more likely there will be funds for better equipment, improvements in the work environment, and wage increases. Money is important but…Personal well-being is also important. It is always wiser to spend a bit more time doing the job safely than to recover from an injury. Remember, don’t take dangerous shortcuts, wear your personal protective gear, do the job as instructed, and support company safety efforts. Kyle Kyle Rehme may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com Kyle Rehme uses his personal knowledge of the water well, drilling, and environmental in- dustries to provide cus- tomers with practical insurance solutions. Driving with Safety in Mind by Kyle Rehme, VolkBell Property & Casualty Insurance, LLC , . *#! ' , , . &#," 1 0% "& 1 * ', &#," (%$ %% *() *,0 +- %,0 '+-* ' *#%% *+ 1 '- ,-* *+ 1 -))%# *+ 1 '!#' *+ 1 ('+-%, ',+ 1 , * %% 1 ,"( # 1 '.#*('& ', % 1 (," *& % 1 (' - ,(* (% *#%% *+ 1 #% # % *.# + 1 , * -&) *.# ) #* (',* ,(*+ /,(' * (*, (%%#'+ 19 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® DECEMBER 2015