Using Rancho Mesa Resources to Prepare Drivers for Winter Weather Conditions

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Temperatures are beginning to drop across the United States, exposing companies to a number of dangerous weather conditions. Depending on where your company performs work, employees will encounter rain, ice, snow, and fog while performing job duties. This is especially dangerous for drivers, who for the coming months, will need to safely navigate the change in weather patterns. Additional training and accident preparedness is essential to keep employees safe behind the wheel. Rancho Mesa has resources available for both training and accident reporting.

Driver Training

The best way to prevent an accident is to properly train your company’s drivers. If a driver knows what obstacles to expect on the road ahead of time, and is properly equipped with the knowledge on how to handle them, the likelihood of an accident occurring can decrease significantly. Before placing any employee behind the wheel, it is a best practice to provide them with adequate training which can be accessed by Rancho Mesa clients through our SafetyOne™ platform.

Comprehensive driver safety training is available through SafetyOne’s Learning Management System in both English and Spanish, and covers the basics of driver safety as well as defensive and distracted driving.

Driver Toolbox Talks

Additionally, 52 driver-specific toolbox talks are available through SafetyOne in both English and Spanish. These toolbox talks can be used as weekly reviews of safe driving practices during the winter months. Available topics that cover winter weather conditions include:

• Driving in Fog & Low Light Conditions for Company Drivers

• Driving in High Winds for Company Drivers

• Proper Use of Headlights and Signals for Company Drivers

• Speed Management for Company Drivers

• Weather-Related Driving Hazards for Company Drivers

Subscribe to Rancho Mesa’s free weekly Driver Safety toolbox talk emails to start receiving driver safety meeting content directly to your inbox each week.

Vehicle Accident Report

Even with adequate training and preparedness, accidents may still occur. In the event of an accident, Rancho Mesa has resources available to help clients address the issue.

An Automobile Accident Report is available through SafetyOne. The report outlines the steps an employee should take once they have been involved in an accident, and allows the employee to record important information including vehicle information, injuries, witnesses, and photos.

Injuries caused by auto accidents can also be recorded in a company’s OSHA 300 logs for end-of-year reporting using the RM365 HRAdvantage™ portal.

Adequate training can help to reduce accidents for company drivers when weather conditions like snow, rain, or fog make driving difficult. If an accident does occur, employees should be prepared to handle and report the situation. Rancho Mesa’s resources streamline both training and reporting to ensure a safer winter season for our clients. To learn more about training and reporting resources, reach out to your client technology contact.

Training Your Team for Safer Driving This Fall

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Summer break is coming to a close and as students return to the classroom, drivers can expect an influx of cars on the road.

Whether you’re dropping the kids off at school or operating a commercial vehicle, busier commutes mean more risk. Safe driving should always be a priority, but with more people rushing to their destinations, this is a time to be extra vigilant behind the wheel. Drivers will likely encounter more school busses, cyclists, pedestrians, and teenage drivers still getting the hang of operating a vehicle than in the summer months, which can pose additional hazards.

Unsafe driving practices can lead to property damage, injury, or even death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports the rate of fatal crashes and crashes which resulted in injury in 2023 peaked in the months of September and October. Plus, with auto rates on the rise, on-the-job accidents can cause premiums to skyrocket. And for employees, a history of auto accidents on your personal driving record can hinder your chances of being hired for roles that include driving as part of the job.

To keep drivers safe and insurance premiums low, employers should take time to train employees on safe driving practices and highlight potential hazards they might encounter on the road.

Rancho Mesa’s SafetyOne™ platform offers a variety of safety resources including online training courses and a library of 52 driver-specific toolbox talks, in both English and Spanish. These trainings can be used as weekly safety refreshers, or to help correct specific unsafe actions. If you want to address the increase in traffic during the fall months, Rancho Mesa recommends these toolbox talks:

• Awareness of Pedestrian and Vehicle Traffic for Company Drivers

• Avoiding Distracted Driving for Company Drivers

• Handling Aggressive Drivers for Company Drivers

• Managing Following Distance for Company Drivers

• Right-of-Way Rules for Company Drivers

• School Zone Awareness for Company Drivers

• Sharing the Road with Cyclists & Pedestrians for Company Drivers

• Understanding Blind Spots for Company Drivers

To receive weekly driver-specific toolbox talks directly to your inbox, subscribe to Rancho Mesa’s free weekly Driver Safety newsletter.

Training Your Landscape Fleet Drivers with Rancho Mesa

Author, Drew Garcia, Vice President, Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Landscape businesses are well aware of the risks associated with their employees operating vehicles on a daily basis. The commercial insurance market has also taken notice of the risks and responded with rate increases and a diminishing appetite to write the policies. 

Rancho Mesa works with over 100 landscape and tree care professionals across the country. Due to our heavy concentration on the green industry, we are able to bring specific resources to this group in an effort to better prepare their businesses to mitigate risk.

An example of these industry-specific resources is our recently released driver-specific toolbox talk library that can be used on a weekly basis to help employees prepare for the common exposures they face while driving for your company. These short safety meetings should be used to supplement your fleet and driver safety program.

The library of 52 English/Spanish driver-specific toolbox talk topics includes:

• 6 Utility Trailer Driving

• 6 Worksite Parking and Awareness

• 40 General Driver Safety

Safety managers can use this content for:

• Weekly refresher trainings for fleet drivers

• During a specific time of year when there is low light, wet weather, or high wind

• Corrective action from GPS or dashcam insights (e.g., harsh breaking, speed management, following distance, right of way, turning, backing safely, and blind spots)

The library of driver-specific toolbox talks are available within the SafetyOne™ mobile app. And, anyone can subscribe to receive Rancho Mesa’s weekly driver-specific toolbox talk emails.

Rancho Mesa encourages the landscape industry to continuously train their drivers to better position them for success.

For questions about best practices for managing driver risk, contact me at drewgarcia@ranchomesa.com or (619) 937-0200.

Keeping Drivers Safe with Proper Training and Vehicle Inspections

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

April is Distracted Driver Awareness Month, marking a perfect time to revisit your company’s driver training policies. Motor vehicle safety in the workplace is essential to protect employees from injury while limiting costs for the company. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports 39% of all fatal workplace injuries are caused by transportation incidents. Additionally, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) found that an on-the-job highway crash costs employers an average of $26,000, and an injury costs the employer nearly $80,000 on average. With these statistics in mind, it should be a top priority of all employers to implement a driver and fleet safety program.

Driver safety training should be administered regularly to all employees who are expected to drive as part of their job. Consistent retraining during the year can help keep safe driving tactics top-of-mind and prevent complacency.

OSHA recommends driver training to include:

• Vehicle characteristics, capabilities, and limitations

• Vehicle instruments, controls, and safety components

• Vehicle preventative maintenance checks and services

• Company driving policies and procedures - seat belts, distractions (including drowsy and impaired driving), aggressive driving and speeding

• Defensive Driving

• Vehicle Backing

Rancho Mesa offers a number of driver training courses through the SafetyOne™ platform, including Driving Safety, Distracted Driving, and Driving Defensively.

In addition to driver safety, vehicle maintenance is also an important step in protecting your employees and other drivers. Regular maintenance and inspections play a vital role in employee safety. Drivers should always conduct pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections and document any deficiencies. Defective vehicles should be removed from service until the issue is repaired. OSHA lists the areas of the vehicle that should be inspected before and after each drive, they include:

• Brakes/brake systems

• Tires – including air pressure

• Wheels, fasteners, and hubs

• Lights and signals

• Steering functions

• Fuel and exhaust system

• Fluid levels

• Windows and mirrors – clear view

• Emergency equipment and safety devices

• Cargo securement – if applicable

• Flatbed trailer fall protection systems – if applicable

Rancho Mesa’s Fleet Safety training, available through SafetyOne™, can improve a driver’s understanding of what is required of them before, during, and after their drive.

For additional information on how Rancho Mesa can help your company develop a fleet safety program, register for the Building A Fleet Safety Program with Rancho Mesa's Tools & Resources webinar on Friday, April 18, 2025.

Return of the Rush Hour: Avoid Increased Risk with Safe Driving

Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Special, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As students return to the classroom, the back to school traffic has also resumed. With more cars on the roads, this leads to more risk for commercial vehicles making their daily commutes.

By the time Labor Day passes, most school districts and universities in the nation have started classes again, and with that, an increase in traffic in the mornings and afternoons has also resumed. The roads are flooded with school buses, parents, carpoolers, and college students rushing to their destinations. At the same time, the normal work commute continues, including many commercial and company-owned fleet vehicles.

In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that the rate of large truck fatal crashes was highest in the months August through October.

In order to keep their drivers safe, employers should educate their employees on the added hazards on the road this time of year and revisit training topics related to defensive and distracted driving.

The SafetyOne™ platform offers driver safety resources to help employers prevent auto accidents, with many toolbox talks and a library of online training courses. 

Additionally, anyone can register online for Rancho Mesa’s Fleet Safety webinar with dates throughout September and October.

To learn more about driver safety resources, contact your client technology coordinator.

Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Prevent Fleet Accidents Through Training

Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month across the nation. The month is dedicated to preventing distractions while driving as well as spreading awareness of these dangers on the road.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports more than 3,500 people in the United States were killed due to distracted driving in 2021. The most common forms of distraction are phone use such as texting, scrolling apps, or phone calls. When it comes to fleet and construction vehicles, it's important to make sure your employees are driving safely.

One vital way to prevent accidents on the road is through driver training. The SafetyOne™ platform offers a library of online driver training topics to ensure your drivers are safe on the road.

• Driver Safety: The Basics

• Driving Safety

• Driving Defensively

• Distracted Driving

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Defensive Driver Training

Additionally, clients can register for Rancho Mesa’s in-person Fleet Safety workshop on Friday, May 17, 2024 at the Mission Valley Library.

To learn more about the training offered in SafetyOne, contact your client technology coordinator.

Back to the Books: Fall Months Call for Driver Preparedness

Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As schools begin filtering back into session, more vehicles flood the roads in the mornings and afternoons. The “rush hour” traffic is back in full swing. From construction workers on their way to the jobsite to parents rushing their kids to school, more vehicles on the road means more risk for accidents, and an uptick in insurance claims.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data, in 2021 the rate of fatal crashes for large trucks was highest in the months August through October, with its peak in September. Construction-industry vehicles typically fall into the category of large trucks, defined by a total weight of 10,000 pounds or more.

To avoid becoming a statistic, it’s a good time for employees to freshen up on driver training. The SafetyOne™ platform offers a library of online driver training topics to ensure your drivers are safe on the road.

• Driver Safety: The Basics

• Driving Safety

• Driving Defensively

• Distracted Driving

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Defensive Driver Training

To learn more about risk management resources or the training offered in SafetyOne, contact your client technology coordinator.