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1. What do I do in a Vehicle Incident/Accident?

Vehicle Incident/Accidents

At the site of the Incident or Accident

1. Do not move your vehicle unless the accident/incident is minor and the traffic is heavy or your vehicle presents a serious hazard to other vehicles.
2. Find out if anyone is injured.
3. Call the local law enforcement authority. If this an emergency, call 911
4. Use the vehicle incident/accident form in the glove box to obtain witness information, gather names, addresses and phone numbers and insurance information.
5. Do not discuss the accident with anyone except the investigating police officer, the Risk Manager, Fleet Operations Manager, or your immediate supervisor or Department Head.
6. Do not admit responsibility/liability for the accident/incident.
7. Sign nothing but a police accident report or a citation if necessary.

Reporting the Incident or Accident

1. District vehicle incident/accidents are in the glove box of your District vehicle or available at Fleet Operations. A completed accident/incident report will provide information on other vehicles, drivers or property involved, witnesses, weather conditions, road conditions, names, phone numbers, addresses and insurance policy numbers of the other party or parties, and any other pertinent information regarding the accident/incident.
2. Reporting injury accidents/incidents or any accident/incident involving members of the public must be reported immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency, as well as the Fleet Operations Division at (916) 753-1919, and your respective Department Supervisor or Director.  Report injury accidents/incidents by phone to the Risk Manager at (916) 405-7198.
3. When reporting non-injury accidents/incidents, complete the entire accident/incident report within 24 hours of the accident/incident. If you are injured and unable to complete the report, your department should report it for you. After it is completed, please bring it to Fleet Operations for the formal report.

What Should You Do With Your Vehicle?

1. If the District vehicle is able to be driven then bring it to the Fleet Operations facility, (need address) for a mechanical inspection. .
2. If your vehicle is inoperable or unsafe to drive, call Fleet Operations at (916) 753-1919 and ask for further instructions. If the accident/incident occurs after regular District business hours, call (916) 753-1919  Towing at (xxx)xxx-xxxx and have the vehicle towed to the appropriate Fleet Operations facility. If you are out of the District when an accident/incident occurs, follow the instructions in the section entitled, "In Case of Mechanical Failure or Breakdown."

2. Use of Privately Owned Vehicles for Business Purposes

We understand that circumstances often require employees to use their privately owned vehicles (POV) for business purposes. It is important for employees, managers, supervisors at all levels to understand an employee’s personal automobile policy is the primary coverage for liability and/or damages when involved in an accident while on district business. This also includes Trustees, elected and appointed officials of the district.

Please be advised that the auto liability coverage your entity has through GSRMA is secondary and only becomes effective once the primary policy limits are exceeded. And while it may seem obvious to some, GSRMA does not provide coverage for physical damage to privately owned vehicles. It happens that there is confusion about who covers what in the realm of insurance and claims for damages…please let us know if you have any questions regarding how this applies at your district. As always, we are here to make muddy waters clear.

Some other best practices your entity might consider as you analyze the risks of driving and develop written driving policies are:

• Privately owned vehicles driven on district business must be in sound and safe operating condition and maintained as such at the employee’s own expense;
• The employee and vehicle must be insured as outlined below;
• The employee must obey all state and local driving laws and observe driving conditions with the utmost care, including but not limited to wearing a seat belt, using Bluetooth or hands free devices, no texting while driving, and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol;;
• The employee must possess and maintain a valid California driver’s license and current medical exam, if applicable;
• All vehicles driven on district business must be properly registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles;
• Employees who have their driver’s license suspended or revoked are required to report these conditions to their supervisor promptly; and
• The district accepts no responsibility for citations issued to an employee by any law enforcement agency while driving a vehicle on district business under any circumstance. All liabilities created by any citation will be the responsibility of employees who receive them.
• All employees who use their personal vehicle for business travel are required to maintain general automobile liability insurance of at least the minimum amounts required by the State of California However, your district can require higher limits. As GSRMA is a risk sharing pool, please be mindful that the more coverage the employee has, the less exposure to the district and pool. Employees personal coverage must be exhausted before GSRMA’s coverage kicks in. Employee’s personal insurance shall not exclude business use. Employees must provide proof of adequate insurance coverage to the district. Any employee who does not maintain the required insurance coverage will not be authorized to drive his or her personal vehicle on district business.

Does anyone at your district utilize rental cars? Utilizing a rental car and obtaining the insurance offered is an excellent risk transfer tool to cover the personal exposure presented by your business travel. If you DO NOT opt to take the insurance offered by the rental company, please be aware that your agency’s coverage will only be effective if you can show you were in the course and scope of employment when damages occurred. Again, please remember, GSRMA is a risk sharing pool and while we strive provide broad coverage to our members, we also aim to keep costs down to ensure the viability of all public agencies for years to come. Any other questions? Please give us a call at (530) 934-5633

3. What do I do when there has been damage to District property?

Report damage to the supervisor or Department Head and complete an Accident/Incident Report.  If applicable, contact the Elk Grove Police Department’s non-emergency number and report the accident/incident. Request for a police report detailing the property damage. Be sure to take photographs of the property damage.

4. Is there a report that should be completed following an incident?

Yes. The Incident Report form should be completed in ink with legible handwriting or typed, ensuring all fields are completed. Reports will be routed through the chain of command including the District’s Risk Manager, and accidents/incidents involving 9-1-1 calls or District employees, will require General Manager’s signature. If an incident results in an injury or accident, personnel will complete an Accident Report in addition to the Incident Report.