Harper College

Vehicle and Fleet Safety

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Harper Vehicle Vs. Your Vehicle

  • Harper Vehicle: If you are going to drive a Harper College owned vehicle you must follow Harper Colleges safety rules, check out the Fleet Safety Guidelines.To be on the list of authorized drivers you need to complete online safety training and fill out a vehicle use acknowledgement form. If you are not already on the list, contact Environmental Health and Safety to inquire about driving a campus vehicle for an event.
  • Use of Personal Vehicles: When staff, faculty, volunteers and students use a personal vehicle while on College business, their personal auto insurance is primary and there is no reimbursement for damage to a personal vehicle. Staff, faculty, volunteers and students are required to comply with all state regulations when operating a vehicle on College business, including maintaining the applicable State mandated minimum amount of insurance coverage.

Some important points from the Harper guidelines include:

  • For Long Distance Trips: There should be more than one authorized driver, such drivers should consider rotating every 3 hours. No driver may drive more than 9 hours during a 24-hour period. If there are not enough drivers to rotate an overnight stay en-route should be planned.
  • Citations: Drivers must observe all traffic regulations. Drivers are personally responsible for any traffic citations (tickets) that may be issued as a result of operating a College owned or insured vehicle.
  • Accident Reporting / Investigation: Drivers must report all accidents, regardless of damage. Accidents that occur on College property must be reported immediately to Harper Police (847-925-6330). Accidents that occur off Harper property must be reported immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency (911) and to Harper Police (987-925-6330) as soon as practical. See Section 17.2 Accident Reporting for what to do in case of an accident and how to report an accident that occurs off campus.

As of July 1, 2019 a stricter driving law in Illinois has taken effect. Individuals caught texting will be issued a moving violation instead of a warning ticket. Three moving violations in a year could have their license suspended. A fine is also included, $75 for the first offense, $100 for the second and $125 for the third. Any additional offenses will cost $150.

Top 4 Driving Tips from Nationwide

  1. Focus on Driving; no multi-tasking or using your phone, and slow down
  2. Drive Defensively; expect the unexpected, keep a 2-4 second cushion between you and the car in front of you
  3. Make a Safe Driving Plan; adjust your seat, mirrors and climate controls before putting the car in gear
  4. Practice Safety; secure cargo, don’t attempt to reach items that have fallen to the floor, and always wear your seatbelt

Or check this out! “A Quick Guide to Safe Driving” from the Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White. https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a270.pdf

Review the Top 20 Defensive Driving Tips

  1. Focus on the Task at Hand
  2. Expect other drivers to make mistakes
  3. Slow Down
  4. Take Advantage of Safety Devices
  5. Always, always, always buckle up
  6. When in doubt, yield
  7. Stop on red
  8. Use your blinkers
  9. Let it go
  10. Keep a buffer between yourself and other motorists
  11. Monitor your blind spots, and stay out of others’ blind spots
  12. Don’t drive drunk, buzzed, high or low
  13. Adjust for rain
  14. Prepare for snowy weather
  15. Inflate your tires appropriately, and change them when they are worn
  16. Use headlights wisely
  17. Maintain your vehicle
  18. Respond safely to tailgaters
  19. Keep a steady pace
  20. Look far ahead of your vehicle
Last Updated: 12/14/23