Sample Fleet Safety and Driver Safety Manuals

Nationwide® has prepared sample fleet safety and driver safety manuals that can be used as a guide to spur creation of your own program.

• Each point should be reviewed to ensure it applies to your organization and removed or edited as applicable.
• Do not include rules, policies, or procedures that you have no intention of enforcing as they may be used against you in the event of an accident. For example, knowingly allowing a driver to violate your own safety rule or not following your own driver qualification requirements.
• These sample manuals are meant for non-DOT (Department of Transportation) regulated fleets. Some references have been made to DOT requirements where they may be considered a best practice for non-regulated fleets. Do not rely upon this document for DOT compliance.
• These samples are not intended for organizations that haul non-employee passengers such as school, taxi, limousine, bus, shuttle, medical or health and human services operations.
• Additional rules/policies/procedures should be added to meet the specific needs of your operation, vehicle types, cargo hauled and local, state and federal DOT compliance requirements.
• Consult your legal representative before implementation.
• Management should review manuals on an annual basis to ensure they are up to date.

Sample fleet safety manual

The purpose of a fleet safety manual is to outline policies and procedures related to fleet safety and provide guidance to those responsible for implementing the program. Click for English or Español to download. Topics include:

• Fleet safety responsibilities and safety committee
• Vehicle use and restrictions
• Employee-owned vehicles
• Driver rules and responsibility
• Driver eligibility/qualifications
• Hiring steps specific to drivers
• Driver orientation and ongoing safety training
• Driver supervision
• Driver incentives and recognition
• Vehicle selection, maintenance, and inspections
• Accident management
• Forms and checklists
• Driver hiring and orientation checklist
• Driver road test – light vehicles
• Vehicle inspection checklist – light vehicles
• Office accident procedures – auto
• Initial report of accident

Sample driver safety manual

Click for English or Español to download. Topics include:

• Policy Statement
• Driver Qualification/Eligibility
• Vehicle Use and Restrictions
• Distracted Driving
• Fatigue/Illness/Drugs and Alcohol
• Defensive Driving
• Additional Driver Rules and Responsibilities
• Roadway Emergency Stops
• Accidents
• Employee-Owned Vehicles
• Vehicle Inspections and Maintenance

Driver manual best practices

• Provide the manual to new drivers and review it with them during orientation.
• Drivers should sign the policy statement and initial each section of the manual as it is reviewed.
• Make a copy of the signed/initialed document for the employee’s file and provide the original to the driver.
• Review sections of the manual periodically throughout the year during safety/driver meetings.
• Management should review the manual at least annually. Updates should be communicated with all drivers.

Other sample rules and policies

Click link to download.

• Sample driver safety rules for small fleets – slimmed down version of the above Driver Safety Manual
• Sample distracted driving policy
• Sample vehicle inspection checklists – light and medium vehicles
• Employee- or volunteer-owned vehicles
  • Sample Authorization to Use Personal Vehicle on Behalf of Organization
  • Sample Non-owned Vehicle and Driver Qualification Checklist
• Restaurant delivery driver safety policies