There are many ways drivers might get their license suspended, but you wouldn’t know if you weren’t checking.
During the summer, many districts bring on extra drivers to help with bigger workloads. With activities ranging from summer camps to mosquito spraying, your employees are probably hitting the road much more often in the summer.
Many HR departments run motor vehicle records (MVR) checks on new hires, or ask applicants to provide their current MVR. It is a good idea to do this when hiring drivers. A quick review of Colorado’s licensing laws could also prevent a future headaches because there are many lesser-known ways that drivers can lose their license.
Since the legalization of recreational marijuana, there have been public service campaigns emphasizing that driving while high is treated just like driving drunk. But what’s less well-known are the ramifications of those under 21 found to be in possession of alcohol or marijuana. This may result in their license being revoked for 3 months on the first conviction, even if driving wasn’t involved.
There are other reasons a license can be revoked without driving involved. Partial or no payment of child support can result in a suspension. Even if the employer is garnishing wages if the payments do not include the correct Family Support Registry number. Unpaid parking tickets, from in Colorado or out-of-state, can also result in a suspension.
As most drivers are aware, the state uses a point system to penalize bad drivers. Some infractions are so serious that they result in an immediate suspension. These include traveling more than 40 MPH over the speed limit, evading an officer, and driving under the influence—which all bear 12 points. Other high-value infractions, such as reckless driving (8 points) and speeding 20 MPH over the limit (6 points) can quickly add up to a suspension as well.
Driving a district vehicle is a big responsibility. Employees and managers should not take that lightly. This includes using due diligence to ensure that only the responsible, licensed drivers are driving on behalf of the district.
Every year, we obtain MVRs on a random selection of drivers. We do this as an underwriting tool, but as a best practice, we suggest that members follow suit. You can run MVRs yourself, or ask candidates to provide a copy of their current record. This could eliminate problems later. If an accident occurred and it became known that the employee had a revoked license but was allowed to drive for district, public trust could suffer significant harm.
