Vehicle Use Policy – US and Canada

Why is this policy important?
The purpose of this policy is to implement sound loss control practices and to apply them to all of the vehicles that the church owns and leases. Establishing uniform controls on the use of these vehicles makes it possible to obtain insurance coverage for our vehicles although they are purchased and used by a wide spectrum of church entities and jurisdictions. Adherence to this policy will help protect the church and the people who drive church vehicles. If a driver of a church or affiliate vehicle is found to have been in violation of the terms of this policy, our insurance policies may be cancelled. Severe violations may result in disciplinary action against the driver.

How does the vehicle get insured?
Church owned vehicles may NOT be covered by any other automobile insurance. It is the responsibility of each jurisdiction to provide Risk Management Services with appropriate information for coverage. Any vehicles owned by the church or affiliates MUST be covered under the church’s automobile insurance policy. Please inform Risk Management Services when a vehicle is to be added or deleted. (The church self-insures physical damage for church owned vehicles up to the value of the vehicle.)

Drivers of Church and Affiliate Owned and Leased Vehicles

1. The person assigned a church or affiliate vehicle will determine who may drive the church or affiliate owned and/or leased vehicle based on factors established by the church in this policy.
    

2. Anyone who will be driving a church vehicle must possess a valid driver’s license and be at least 18 years old. An exception can be made for 16 or 17 year old drivers who are children of World Church ministers but ONLY when there is no other vehicle to drive except for the church owned vehicle. Monitoring this usage is the responsibility of the church employed assigned driver. (Car rental agencies may require drivers to be at least 21 years of age).
    

3. All “regular” (family and other) drivers will complete and submit the Motor Vehicle Record Check Release Form to Human Resources.
    

4. Human Resource Ministries will then obtain an annual Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) for each “regular” driver.
    

5. A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) is required for drivers of school buses and other vehicles that are designed to transport more than 15 persons.
    

6. The church is NOT acquiring (via purchasing, renting or donation) any additional 15-passenger vans. Drivers of any remaining ones are strongly encouraged to read and understand thoroughly the operating guidelines found in this policy.
    

7. The required age to transport youth to activities will be determined by the age required to be a Registered Youth Worker (currently age 21). Any person transporting youth will follow the Registered Youth Worker guidelines.
    

8. Drivers convicted of certain vehicle operating violations within the previous five years are not authorized to drive church/affiliate owned vehicles. This list of violations may be amended retroactively:

   • driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

   • refusing a chemical test

   • fleeing or eluding police

   • highway racing

   • driving while license suspended or revoked

   • vehicular manslaughter

   • leaving the scene of an accident

   • passing a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing
      

9. Other violations which disqualify drivers from operating church & affiliate vehicles include:

   • More than two moving violations in the last three years with one at-fault accident

   • More than three moving violations in the last three years with no at-fault accidents

   • More than two at fault accidents in the last three years with no moving violations

Motorcycle and Other Two Wheeled Self-Propelled Vehicle Use Is Prohibited
Employees are prohibited from utilizing motorcycles, mopeds, motorbikes and similar two wheeled self-propelled vehicles as a means of transportation at any time on church and affiliate business. (Per Worker’s Comp Policy).

Mobile, Cell Phone, and Electronic Devices
If a cell phone must be used while driving, the driver should either exit the road and park the vehicle or utilize a “hands free” type of unit. Extreme caution should be used when utilizing a hands free phone to ensure that the driver does not become distracted.
When text messaging, emailing, or using a PDA communication device, the driver must exit the road and park the car. If drivers of church owned vehicles are involved in an accident while using any of these devices, the church’s insurance company may cancel coverage for ALL insured vehicles.

Vehicular Laws and Seat Belts
All drivers and passengers must wear seat belts. Buses without seat belts are the only exception to this coverage. Drivers of church or affiliate owned and/or leased vehicles are required to follow all applicable laws concerning operation of motor vehicles in the country or state in which the vehicle is being operated. These will include a number of emerging laws categorically referred to as ”distracted driving” laws such as: cell phone and PDA use, eating, applying make up, etc.

Personal Vehicle Use
There are situations where church members and employees may use their personal vehicles or they may allow other church members to use their personal vehicles for church related business. In these situations, the vehicle owner’s insurance will be primary for both liability and property damage. Also:

• If the church member does NOT carry physical damage insurance on his/her personal car, there will be no coverage for physical damage from the church’s insurance fund.

• The church will not be responsible for deductibles incurred from the church member’s primary insurance policy.

• If a member’s vehicle is borrowed for church purposes, the member’s insurance on their borrowed vehicle will be primary and will still be first in line to respond to a loss, even if a church member who does not own the vehicle drives the vehicle.

Rental Vehicles
On the occasion when a vehicle needs to be rented, the following must be understood:

• List Community of Christ as the renter of the vehicle. (Note: 15-passenger vans can no longer be rented for church use) The church’s insurance policy will NOT cover rental vehicles for either liability or physical damage unless it is rented in the name of the church. If the rental agency will not allow this, Community of Christ MUST be listed as the company name on the rental form.

• Do NOT purchase the insurance coverage offered by rental agencies in the United States or Canada. Risk Management Services will provide a certificate of insurance to the rental agency, if requested. Contact Sandie.

• Check the vehicle for damage before leaving the lot and after you return to the rental agency. If there is damage to the vehicle before leaving the lot, have the agent note the damage on the rental agreement.

• If a vehicle is damaged during the rental period, the renter should immediately notify the agency and then notify Risk Management Services.

The church’s coverage does not pay for any loss of rental income to the rental car agency if the vehicle is damaged. If the renter does not notify Risk Management Services of the damage, the rental agency could charge the repair of the vehicle to the renter.

15-Passenger Vans…...CAUTION!!!!
The policy now is that 15-passenger vans are NOT to be utilized. Jurisdictions that currently own one are being encouraged to trade for a different van model as soon as possible. (The U.S. federal government enacted a law that prohibits the usage of 15-passenger vans for all Head Start programs and school districts within the United States.) These vans are highly susceptible to rollover and passenger ejection, especially if the van is fully loaded.

For the local church that still owns a 15-passenger van, it is critically important that:

• the driver and all passengers in the van wear seat belts at all times.

• as a principle, seat people toward the front and luggage in the back

• avoid filling the van to passenger and weight limit capacities.

• nothing is ever transported on top of the van

• luggage is packed in the very back of the van and kept lower than the top of the seat back to insure visibility

A safer option would be the utilization of mini-vans or other vans with capacity less than 15 passengers.

Buses
If the need is such, buses can be purchased for use at relatively low speeds on residential streets. Routine use on high speed highways should be avoided.

Canada

• Canada requires a valid U.S. driver’s license for a U.S. citizen to drive in Canada. The church’s insurance is valid in Canada for U.S. licensed drivers and vehicles.

• In Canada, we provide Canadian liability insurance for church-owned vehicles licensed in Canada. Church vehicles licensed in Canada may travel in the United States under the Canadian liability insurance. A Canadian driver’s license is required for Canadian citizens driving in the United States.

Updated: 03/17/2008