Road Safety at Work | July 23, 2026
If a work-related motor vehicle incident happens, the first few minutes afterwards are critical. Employers need to train employees on their policy and procedures for driving-related emergencies on the job.
Driving can be the riskiest thing employees do at work, even if they only do it occasionally. Employers are responsible for the safety of employees when they drive on the job, from making deliveries to visiting clients.
If a workplace motor vehicle incident occurs, employees should take immediate steps, advises Road Safety at Work, a WorkSafeBC initiative. They should check for injuries and call 911 if emergency assistance is needed, move to a safe location, and notify their supervisor as soon as possible. Providing emergency checklists to employees can help them respond clearly and consistently.
Employees should also understand what information to collect after an incident. Photos of the scene, witness names and contact information, road and weather conditions, vehicle damage, and written notes about what happened can all help support an investigation.
The purpose of an incident investigation is not to assign blame. Instead, it is to understand what contributed to the incident and how to prevent something similar from happening again.
In many cases, the cause of motor vehicle incidents is a combination of factors. Fatigue, schedules, training, vehicle maintenance, distraction, and lack of trip planning or policy and procedures can all play a role.
Employers should train supervisors on motor vehicle incident reporting and investigation procedures. Investigations can uncover gaps in policies, training, supervision, or equipment that may increase risk across the organization.
Even if another driver caused the incident, employers could still learn lessons that help reduce future risks.
Road Safety at Work offers free resources to help employers prepare employees for work-related driving incidents. These include checklists, investigation forms, and online courses. Use the virtual assistant at the lower right of any page at RoadSafetyatWork.ca to find what you need.