Handling Traffic Citations: Response Plan

In many ways, the road is part of the job site in construction: crews drive between sites, supervisors too (often in company trucks). Equipment and materials need to be moved to sites….Since construction work does not begin or end on one site, it’s a smart idea to have a solid process in place so that traffic violations are handled consistently. Doing so can ultimately save the business a great deal of money in hidden expenses. 

A Driver Problem, or A Business Problem? 

At For Construction Pros, Alex Guirguis of Off the Record, a technology company that provides help with traffic tickets, observes that since construction companies “rely on vehicles to keep jobs moving, traffic tickets should not be an afterthought,” and 

points out that when poorly managed, routine tickets turn into much bigger problems: 

• A citation may look like a driver problem at first. Someone was stopped for speeding.Someone rolled through a red light. Someone picked up a phone while driving between jobs. The driver pays the fine, gets back to work and the company moves on.

• Here is what most people miss: paying a traffic ticket is treated as pleading guilty. The violation becomes a conviction on the driver’s record, and insurers can see it. For construction fleets, that can affect insurance costs, driver availability, project schedules, safety records and workforce stability. 

• A citation becomes a much larger operational issue when it leads to points, higher premiums, lost driving privileges or a CDL disqualification.

To avoid a pile up of problems and expenses related to traffic violations, Guirguis encourages construction businesses to implement a standardized response plan, and offers this example: 

• Require prompt reporting. Drivers should know who to notify and how quickly.
• Centralize the information. Record the driver, vehicle, date, location, violation and deadline.
• Review before paying. Determine whether the citation could affect the driver’s record, insurance, license or CDL, and whether there is an opportunity to contest it.
• Give CDL citations additional attention. Commercial drivers face consequences that do not apply to ordinary motorists.
• Match automated citations to fleet records. Use dispatch, vehicle or driver records to establish who had the vehicle.
• Track patterns. Multiple violations involving the same driver, route, vehicle or conduct may reveal a larger safety issue.
• Document the outcome. Keep a record of how citations are resolved to identify trends.
• The goal is not to send every ticket to court. It is to stop the company from making a consequential decision just because paying a fine feels like the fastest way to make a problem disappear.

Safety First?

At Construct Connect, Deirdre Pearson reminds us that at a construction company, “A strong culture treats safety as a core operating value, not a poster in the breakroom. A weak one treats it as a compliance task.” According to Pearson, a construction safety culture is: “a shared set of beliefs, behaviors, and daily practices that make safe work the default on every jobsite from day one. It shows up in how leaders talk about safety, how training is delivered, how hazards get reported, and what happens when somebody calls a stop.” 

If your company currently does not address fleet and driver training along with other safety efforts, consider broadening your approach. Here are some pointers on driver safety from Guirguis:

• Driver training should address speeding in work zones, distracted driving, red-light violations, following distance, improper turns, toll violations and other rules relevant to the company’s vehicles and operating areas.

• Policies should also reflect the realities of construction work. Drivers may be traveling to unfamiliar sites, working under tight delivery windows or receiving last-minute instructions from supervisors.

• Companies can reduce pressure by building realistic travel time into schedules, discouraging calls and messages while employees are driving and making it clear that pulling over to respond is acceptable.

• A written policy is important, but a company culture that supports safe decisions behind the wheel is even more important.

Driving Your Business Forward? 

As you refresh the systems and processes that will ensure your company grows safely and successfully, don’t forget Colonial Surety Company is here to help. We are a national, direct, and Treasury-Listed surety bond writer that’s been in business since 1930, and we are proud to help construction companies of all sizes improve bidding capacity and demonstrate reliability. Come and explore your options today. 

Our Hometown Bond Program provides local builders with credit based underwriting bonds for up to $500k, preparing you to qualify for The Partnership Account® for Contractors.

Once qualified for The Partnership Account®, you’ll leverage benefits that give your business a competitive edge, including: a written surety line of credit for up to 20 million single, and 40 million aggregate. Plus, you’ll:

• Issue your own Bid Bonds Instantly using our powers of attorney. Performance and payment bonds are speedier and easier than ever too. 

• Gain Real-Time Visibility: Use your private dashboard to view your underwriting profile and insightful financial data in real-time.

Put your business on a growth path with a few clicks, now: 

Bonding Programs at Colonial Surety Company

In business since 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products across the USA. Colonial Surety Company is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company and U.S. Treasury listed. Let’s connect today: Colonial Surety Company.