What does UVV mean?
UVV is the abbreviation of the term accident prevention regulation. The accident prevention regulations impose a binding obligation on every company to check and ensure occupational safety and health protection for all legally insured employees in accordance with stipulated criteria. Since May 1, 2014, the UVV have been referred to as DGUV regulations, where DGUV stands for Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (German Statutory Accident Insurance).
Here, we would like to make special reference to DGUV Regulation 70, which relates to the road safety of vehicles in commercial operations and regulates compliance with the regulations on vehicle safety and occupational safety in road traffic. This regulation results in two important aspects that employers should pay attention to as vehicle owners: regular driver instruction and the UVV inspection of the vehicles. Regular driver instruction ensures that employees are informed about all relevant safety measures, thus preventing accidents. The UVV inspection of the vehicles, in turn, ensures that the vehicles comply with the legal requirements and are safe on the public roads.
The driver training according to accident prevention regulation UVV
As an employer, you have an important responsibility: According to the legal regulations of DGUV Vorschrift 70, you must instruct your employees in the vehicle fleet at least once a year. This safety briefing has two significant objectives:
- On the one hand, drivers should be informed about potentially dangerous situations and learn how to operate their vehicles safely.
- On the other hand, the instruction serves as legal proof for you as an employer, should an accident occur.
It is important that you conduct driver instruction on a regular basis. Because if you don’t do this and damage occurs, you could be held liable, even if you didn’t cause the accident yourself. Driver training in accordance with the DGUV Regulation 70 directive is part of a series of laws and regulations designed to ensure safety in the workplace. These include, for example, Section 12 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Section 12 of the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, all of which stipulate that safety at the workplace and safe commissioning of the respective work equipment are mandatory.
The contents of the UVV driver training
The exact contents of the UVV may vary depending on the type of fleet. For example, a fleet with different vehicles (cars, trucks or construction machinery) is subject to different safety regulations than a fleet consisting only of cars. The size of the fleet does not matter – both small and large fleets must provide regular training to their employees. Driver instruction focuses on safety, both for the driver and the fleet manager.
How you conduct the training as a fleet manager is entirely up to you. In the past, they took place as classroom training, but more and more fleet managers prefer UVV driver training via e-learning. Why? Because this offers more flexibility and enables simple and secure documentation.
Although the legislator only makes a few specifications regarding the contents of the UVV, there are nevertheless some topics that should be covered in every safety training according to DGUV:
Before the ride
The first part of the driver instruction is dedicated to safe behavior before starting a trip. It is essential to prepare each trip in peace and feel physically and mentally rested to safely drive the vehicle. The first chapter is therefore mainly concerned with the safe commissioning of the vehicles. This includes checking vehicle technology, proper lighting adjustments, appropriate employee attire while driving, and proper and healthy seating positions.
Safety equipment
This chapter of the driver instruction according to UVV deals with the importance and correct use of the safety equipment in the vehicle. The second part deals with various aspects to ensure the safety of the drivers as well as the passengers. Topics related to safety equipment may include: Seat belts, airbags, child restraint systems, high visibility vests and first aid supplies. The UVV driver instruction in the area of “safety equipment” aims to raise employees’ awareness of the importance of the existing safety equipment in the vehicle, to use it correctly.
During the ride
This section of the driver training course is all about safe behavior and the right way to act when driving the vehicles. The focus is on the safety of drivers and other road users. According to the accident prevention regulation, this is about topics and rules such as: Concentration and attention, distractions caused by mobile devices, maintaining speed and adapting to the traffic situation, the correct safety distance, overtaking maneuvers carried out safely, right of way and traffic rules, dealing with special traffic situations such as road works, poor weather conditions or dangerous spots.
Behavior in case of accidents
The fourth part of the driver training in accordance with the accident prevention regulation deals with safe behavior during an accident situation. Accidents are a hugely stressful situation for drivers, so it’s especially important to give them thorough instruction on how to react appropriately and what the rules are if disaster does strike. Drivers are given step-by-step instructions on what action to take in the event of an accident. In this way, drivers are optimally prepared for how to act prudently in such a situation and how to regulate the situation in the best possible way.
Final knowledge test
In the last chapter of the UVV driver training, a knowledge test is carried out. In the exam, all information from the previous chapters will be asked in the form of multiple-choice questions. There is no set time limit to answer the questions, so there is no exam pressure. After all questions regarding accident prevention regulations have been answered, the driver can submit his test results. If he passes the test, he will receive a certificate which will be considered as a proof of successful participation in the driver instruction according to UVV. If the exam is not passed, it is possible to retake it in order to better internalize the content learned and ultimately still receive the certificate of completion.
Why is UVV driver training via e-learning useful?
Coordinating UVV driver instruction as classroom training is a challenge, especially in large fleets. The fleet manager must take care of content creation, invite drivers, and then coordinate appointments. This can be very costly for both the drivers and the fleet manager. In addition, there is often a great deal of uncertainty about which topics from the accident prevention regulations need to be covered and to what extent.
The advantages of driver instruction via e-learning incl. Exams
A time-saving and cost-effective method of safety instruction is UVV driver instruction via e-learning. This allows driver instruction and testing to be carried out regardless of location and makes documentation easier for the fleet manager. This is particularly relevant from a legal point of view, as the supervisor must prove that all drivers in the fleet have successfully completed the safety training. In addition, the content is always up to date and ready for immediate retrieval.
Training via e-learning also offers a psychological advantage: drivers have sufficient time to read up on the various topics in the run-up to the test. This makes them much more relaxed in the final exams. The goal of any UVV driver instruction is to alert drivers to potentially hazardous situations and raise their awareness of potential accidents in order to minimize damage as best as possible. Therefore, e-learning instruction is considered the most effective way to provide each driver with comprehensive training in the best possible way.
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What is a UVV inspection in the vehicle fleet?
The UVV inspection in the vehicle fleet means the legally required regular inspections of the safety equipment on company vehicles in order to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of drivers and other road users. The UVV vehicle inspection applies to all vehicles that a company makes available to its employees. During this process, brakes, lights, tires and other safety devices are checked for proper functioning and compliance with legal requirements.
What does the UVV inspection in the vehicle fleet cover?
During the UVV inspection, a competent, qualified person – e.g. from DEKRA – or a specially trained employee inspects the company car to ensure that it is in a roadworthy and work-safe condition. Vehicle inspection checkpoints include brakes, lights, tires, steering, seat belts and warning signals. Defects or deficiencies must be repaired before further use of the vehicle.
This is checked according to the rules of vehicle inspection:
- Brakes: checking the function of the brake, condition of the brake pads and discs, brake pressure.
- Lighting: Checking functionality and correct alignment of headlights, turn signals, taillights and brake lights.
- Tires: tread depth, tire pressure and general condition of the tires
- Steering: functionality, play or deformations of the steering system
- Seat belts: condition, functionality and correct fastening
- Warning signals: function warning lights, horn and other warning signals
Why is the documentation of performed UVV inspections and UVV driver training required and why is it important?
The documentation of every UVV inspection and UVV driver training carried out is extremely important in order to be able to prove compliance with the statutory regulations. Proper documentation allows companies to demonstrate that they are fulfilling their legal obligations to ensure safety in accordance with accident prevention regulations for drivers and vehicles.
- The UVV inspection documents which vehicles were inspected, which defects were found and how they were rectified.
- The documentation of UVV driver training shows which drivers participated, which topics were covered, and that the training was completed successfully.
In the event of accidents or official inspections, complete documentation serves as proof of implementation and compliance with legal requirements, thus providing legal protection. In addition, the documentation also enables regular review and updating of the UVV measures. Proper documentation is therefore essential to ensure fleet safety and minimize liability risks for fleet management and the company.
Digital driver instruction according to UVV
With our e-learning course, drivers are safely instructed in the use of company vehicles – whether in the office, at home or on the road. All test results are fully documented.
Please note: The annual driver instruction per UVV does not replace the vehicle-specific instruction, which must be carried out personally by the fleet manager each time the vehicle is handed over. This article is not legally binding.
