SECTION 303 - ACCIDENT REPORTING PROCEDURES - COUNTY-OWNED VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT

A. Report Form Availability, Use and Maintenance

1. Availability and Use

All County-owned vehicles and equipment which can be driven shall be equipped with a sealed packet of materials entitled "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT" (See ATTACHMENTS A 1 and A 2 for copies). This packet will be maintained in the glove compartment of each vehicle or fastened to a visor or other secured, accessible location in vehicles or equipment without glove compartments. Employees using personal vehicles for County business shall, in the event of an automobile accident, notify police jurisdiction and obtain and provide a copy of the police report to the department head as soon as possible. It is not necessary to keep a County "Accident Packet" within personal vehicles.

2. Vehicles Maintained by General Services

Copies of the sealed "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT" packet will be stocked and available at the General Services vehicle/equipment service location(s). Each time a vehicle or piece of equipment is serviced, it is the responsibility of the General Services employee servicing the vehicle to check that it has the packet and provide a replacement if none is present. Employees who notice that the packets are missing shall notify General Services when vehicles/equipment are checked out or returned from use. The Vehicle Malfunction report for (ATTACHMENT B) may be used for such notice.

3. Vehicles Maintained by Public Works

Copies of the sealed "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT" packet will be stocked and available at each Public works yard location. It shall be the responsibility of each vehicle/equipment operator to insure that the packet is in the vehicle, along with other safety equipment, as part of the daily preparation check.

B. Report Packet Contents

Each sealed packet shall contain the following items:

1. An envelope bearing the County name entitled "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT" with nine steps to follow printed on the envelope.

2. A booklet inside the envelope entitled "DESCRIPTION OFACCIDENT".

3. Three or more 3x5 cards entitled, "ACCIDENT QUESTIONNAIRE" (white in color).

4. Two or more 3x5 cards entitled, "TO PASSING MOTORISTS REQUESTS FOR EMERGENCY TELEPHONE REPORT" - (yellow in color)

5. A ball- point pen.

C. Incident Reporting Requirements

1. It is the responsibility of each County employee to report all incidents of damage and/or accidents occurring while the employee was operating or otherwise responsible for the County-owned vehicle/equipment. Failure to report such incidents is grounds for disciplinary action as appropriate. How to report such incidents and to whom, is covered in Section 300, Item B. 8.and Item D below of this section.

2. Additionally, it shall be the responsibility of each County employee to immediately report, after such vehicles are returned from use, any mechanical problem or other condition which may affect the proper and/or safe operation of a vehicle or equipment. The employee must complete a "VEHICLE MALFUNCTION REPORT" form to document the problem. Employees using a General Services vehicle will receive this form along with a copy of the dispatch ticket (See ATTACHMENT B).Both the ticket and malfunction report forms should be returned when the vehicle is checked in. Employees operating Public Works vehicles and/or equipment shall utilize the Operators Daily Checklist form to report such problems/conditions.

3. Employees shall notify the General Services or Public Works Department Head (as appropriate) in writing in cases where severe or persistent uncorrected problems with a vehicle are believed to exist. Employees shall provide their own Department Head with a copy of such notification.

After such notification by an employee and follow-up action, the General Services or Public Works Department Head will notify the employee's Department Head of the resulting action, with a copy to the employee.

4. Employees who have followed these steps and still believe a problem exists shall notify Risk Management. Risk Management will then investigate the problem and respond to the employee and department.

D. Vehicle/Equipment Incident Reporting - Employee Responsibilities

1. The following procedures shall be followed by all County Departments and employees in cases of accidents involving County-owned vehicles/equipment, unless prevented by disability or other valid cause

beyond individual/departmental control:

a. The employee shall stop the vehicle/equipment, locate the accident packet, read and follow the nine steps in "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT".

b. If the accident results in any personal injury, to his/herself, the employee must notify his/her supervisor and follow the procedures in Section 330,"Workers Compensation" of the Loss Control Manual.

c. Upon return to the department, the employee shall immediately obtain a "VEHICLE INCIDENT REPORT" form (See ATTACHMENT C" from the Department. The employee shall complete the applicable sections and return the report to the Department Head or his/her designee the same day.

2. Damage to County Vehicles Not Resulting From An Accident

The includes damage resulting from acts of nature, vandalism, theft, mechanical breakdown or road conditions which were not the direct result of the act of a County driver or another vehicle.

a. Employees must report any such damage of County-owned vehicles as soon as it is discovered.

b. If the vehicle is not on County property, the appropriate Police Agency shall be notified before it is moved. If damage is slight and the vehicle can be safely driven, the employee shall proceed with caution and notify the appropriate General Services or Public Works employee immediately when the vehicle is returned from that trip, or the next working day if the employee returns the vehicle after normal- working hours. If the vehicle cannot be driven, the employee shall call the numbers given in Item 7 of the packet "WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT".

c. If the vehicle is on County property, the employee shall notify the appropriate General Services or Public Works employee before using it.

d. The General Services or Public Works employee taking the report shall complete a "VEHICLE INCIDENT REPORT" form (ATTACHMENT C) the same day and submit it to the Department Head or his/her designee. The Department Head or designee shall review the form for accuracy and completeness, keep one copy and send the original and one copy to Risk Management.

E. Vehicle Incident Reporting - Departmental Responsibilities

1. Department Heads Reporting Responsibilities

Each Department Head is responsible for insuring that all of his/her employees who operate County vehicles, are familiar with their responsibilities in the preceding section.

2. Department Reporting Responsibilities

a. Notify Risk Management immediately upon learning of injuries to anyone involved in the accident.

b. In cases where employees were injured as a result of the incident, the Department Head or his/her designee shall insure that the procedures in Section 330, "Workers' Compensation" of the Loss Control Manual are followed.

c. When employees report County owned vehicle/equipment incidents, the Department Head or designee is responsible for insuring a "VEHICLE INCIDENT REPORT" form (ATTACHMENT C) is completed within one working day of the initial report. The original and one copy to Risk Management the same day the report is completed.

d. Be responsible for insuring that a master log is kept of all vehicle/equipment incidents for the department and that an appropriate review of the incident is performed by the department.

e. Assist Risk Management to obtain such facts as may be needed for additional investigation, subrogation actions, or other review.