Select Safe Church Vehicles

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Select Safe Church Vehicles

Here’s how you can protect travelers long before they leave home.
James F. Cobble, Jr, and Richard R. Hammar | posted 6/03/2008

Try also: Drivers, Inspection, Maintenance, Response, Safety, Transportation, Travel, Travel Insurance, Vehicles

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Most people are conscious that an accident can happen any time they ride in a vehicle. But, most of the time, we still take it for granted that our church trips will be safe. Think about it: Most of us are willing to get into a car even though we have no idea of the skill or driving record of the person behind the wheel.

When it comes to safety regarding church transportation, we transfer our trust to others. We assume that drivers are qualified and vehicles are well-maintained. If a problem should occur, we expect it will be handled properly and thoughtfully with a high regard for safety. We are willing to be both passengers and drivers. We trust others, and others trust us.

But effective risk management is not based upon trust. Risk management involves an intentional, systematic, and sustained effort at the leadership level in order to eliminate, reduce, or transfer risks through a process of comprehensive planning and oversight. When it comes to travel, that can be accomplished through the creation of a transportation safety program. And the first category every church must deal with in creating a transportation safety program is the issue of vehicles.

With respect to church vehicles, there are four areas of concern: (1) the selection and approved use of vehicles; (2) the maintenance of vehicles; (3) the inspection of vehicles; and (4) responding to problems.

Selection and Approved Use of Vehicles

Churches depend upon transportation for many different programs. Finding vehicles and drivers can be a problem. So vehicle selection often boils down to what is available.

Many churches own a van, a bus, or a car, but these vehicles are often insufficient to meet all of their transportation needs. If volunteers are recruited, they may use their own vehicles. Or, rental cars or vans may be used to meet temporary demands. Sometimes vehicles are borrowed.

While limitations abound when it comes to the selection of vehicles, approving them for church use still has significant safety and legal implications. Church leaders need to understand that they have an obligation to use reasonable care in the selection and approval of any vehicle that is used for one of their programs.

For example, if youth leaders recruit teenage drivers to use their own cars to transport members of the youth group for a church activity, the church assumes certain risks if the leaders fail to act reasonably in evaluating the safety of the cars that will be used.

If a car is unsafe because it has a clear and obvious safety hazard (such as not having seat belts), then it should not be used. If it is used, an accident occurs, and passengers are injured, the church may be found liable of negligence. This same principle applies to the use of all vehicles.

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