Avoiding the Unexpected: 6 Causes of Ministry Vehicle Accidents

Religious organizations often provide their congregations with a variety of services that require the use of a vehicle. 

Many religious organizations use passenger vans, school buses, or even the personal vehicles of volunteers and staff. These are commonly used for shuttling elderly or disabled members, transporting children to summer camps and youth groups, attending outreach programs and community events, and more.

While there may be plenty of benefits to using these kinds of vehicles within your organization, they can also put you at risk.

Here are six risks you should be on the lookout for—and how you can help prevent them.

Follow the Rules of the Road—It Could Cost You

1. Distracted Driving

Anything that takes a driver's attention away from driving is considered a distraction. There are three main types of distractions:

• Visual
  • Taking your eyes off the road: A text, phone call, navigation system, and anything that takes your eyes from the road ahead of you poses a risk. 
• Manual
  • Taking your hands off the wheel: This could be taking a sip of your drink, eating while driving, or picking up something that fell off the seat. 
• Cognitive
  • Taking your mind off driving: Daydreaming, worrying, or letting your mind wander from the task at hand could impact your focus. 

It might seem like quickly checking a text won't cause any harm, but the CDC claims that in 2019, over 3,100 people were killed and about 424,000 were injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Anytime your drivers take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or minds off the drive, they increase their chances of being in an accident—an accident that could leave you liable. Whether they're running errands or transporting passengers, remind your drivers of the importance of staying focused behind the wheel. 

2. Speeding

We understand that running behind schedule can be stressful, but it is nowhere near as stressful as getting in an accident. In 2024, 11,288 people died in speeding-related traffic deaths. Speed limits are put in place to protect everyone—drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. 

Speeding has more consequences than just getting a ticket.

When drivers speed, they're: 

• More likely to lose control of the vehicle
• More likely to be in a severe accident
• Using more fuel than if they were going the speed limit
• Less likely to have time to react once they perceive danger

Whether it's due to traffic, running late, or a pattern of aggressive driving behavior, speeding affects everyone on the road—even if your driver isn't the one speeding. Here are a few tips when encountering speeders on the road:

• Move out of the left lane and let them pass
• Give speeders plenty of space
• Don't engage—speeding is often tied to aggressive driving, so use your better judgement and safely steer your vehicle out of the way
• Call the police if you think a driver is following you, harassing you, or is a danger to themselves or others

Remind your drivers of the dangers of speeding and help them make better choices on the road by following the speed limit.

3. Environmental Hazards

Sometimes it isn't other drivers on the road that pose a risk—it's the road itself. Weather conditions and other hazards on the road can create all kinds of havoc for drivers.

• Weather Conditions - The best way to prevent a weather-related accident is to avoid traveling all together, but that isn't always feasible, or drivers may already be on the road when severe weather hits. Here are a few weather-related hazards to look out for.
  • Snow and ice - Winter weather can make the roads slippery and slick, and drivers could get stuck in the snow. Check out these winter weather driving tips.  
  • Rain - Rain makes it harder to see, can cause drivers to hydroplane, and reduces traction on the road. Learn more about rain hazards and what to do when a storm hits. 
  • Wind - Both larger vehicles (vans and buses) and smaller personal vehicles are at risk when the wind picks up speed. When larger vehicles are exposed to 40 mph winds, they have a 76% higher chance of rolling over, and it will be harder to steer smaller vehicles. 

• Other Hazards
  • Animals - Deer collusions can be costly and fatal. According to the Humane Society, around 1.5 million deer-vehicle collisions occur annually. Learn more about avoiding collusions with our animal neighbors. 
  • Roadwork - Work zones are dangerous for drivers and workers alike. In 2022, about 96,000 crashes occurred in work zones, with 891 resulting in fatal injuries. Drives must look for signage, workers directing traffic, barriers, changes in traffic patterns, and work vehicles and equipment. 
  • Debris - This could be branches that fell after a storm, trash blown in by strong winds, litter dropped by other drivers, stones flung from a truck, and so much more. Drivers should try to avoid hitting debris, but shouldn't swerve! Doing so can cause the driver to lose control and potentially cause an accident.   

Know Your Vehicle—The Good, The Bad, and The Risky

4. Rollovers

Larger vehicles, like passenger vans and buses, are prone to rolling over, with them accounting for 25% of all rollover crashes, despite being only 13% of registered vehicles. This often due to wind, sharp turns, speeding, or even the number of passengers. When it comes to rollovers, remember these tips. 

• Number of occupants 

  • You may be tempted to get as many passengers in your vehicle as possible, but it could raise the risk of a rollover. 15-passenger vans with fewer than 10 occupants have been found to be three times less likely to roll over, and vans with the driver as the only occupant are five times less likely. Due to this, it’s recommended that organizations remove 15-passenger vans from their fleet. 
• Speed
  • The risk of rolling over is five times greater when driving speeds of 50 mph or higher
• Sharp turns
  • Drivers are twice as likely to roll over on curved roads, when taking sharp turns, and when changing lanes too quickly. Remember to take it slow and steady—it isn't a race!
• Environmental Hazards
  • If drivers can't avoid adverse weather, they should proceed with caution or wait for the weather to pass. 

Remember that passenger vans and other large vehicles require more time and space to brake, have more blind spots than an average car, and don't respond as well to abrupt steering as smaller vehicles. Drivers should always use caution, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid overloading the vehicle. 

Though larger vehicles are more prone to rollovers, this doesn't mean that personal vehicles aren't also at risk. Any vehicle can rollover if a driver loses control, isn't paying attention to the road, or is speeding. All drivers must follow the rules of the road at all times. 

5. Poor Maintenance

Poor maintenance creates a variety of risks that could be prevented. Performing regular maintenance can help catch potential risks before they happen and keep your vehicles functional for longer. 

• Inspections
  • Perform regular inspections and address any problems as soon as possible. 
  • Keep an eye on the condition of safety equipment, such as windshield wipers, lights, turn signals, brakes, and fluid levels. 
• Tires
  • Look for uneven wear patterns, cracks, foreign objects such as nails, metal scraps, or sharp stones lodged in the tire, or dry rot.
  • Check tire pressure frequently, as some flat tires may be the result of a slow leak, invisible to the naked eye.
  • All tires—including the spare—should be replaced if they were manufactured more than six years ago. 

Regular maintenance helps ensure your vehicles are safe for passengers and legal for the road. The wear on your tires or rattling from the engine might seem harmless, but if left unaddressed, could cause a dangerous, preventable accident. In the event of an accident, how can you determine what's preventable and unpreventable? Check out our Vehicle Accident Investigation Determining Preventability Guide to help you conduct a fair and thorough investigation process. 

6. Blind Spots

Passenger vans, buses, and other larger vehicles have larger blind spots than an average car, making backing up, switching lanes, merging, or turning much riskier. Drivers must be aware of blind spots, adjust their mirrors for the best view, and err on the side of caution. 

• Backing
  • Avoid backing unless necessary. 
  • Always use a spotter if possible.
  • Use your mirrors and adjust as needed to help you back up safely. Drivers often have a difficult time judging the distance between the back end of a larger vehicle and obstacles, leading to collisions with stationary objects, other vehicles, or even pedestrians. 

• Switching lanes and merging
  • Posted speed limits on ramps are intended for cars, so drivers should slow their vehicle to 5 miles below the speed limit.
  • When switching lanes, use your turn signal, check your surroundings, and when there is an opening, smoothly steer into the other lane.
• Taking turns
  • Larger vehicles have a different turning radius and handling characteristics. Drivers must adjust accordingly and be aware of other vehicles on the road that may be in their blind spot, which could result in a collision.  

Blind spots can hide pedestrians, cyclists, obstacles, or even other vehicles. To avoid getting into an accident, drivers must consistently be checking their surroundings.   

Feeling Ready for the Road?

"Driver safety does not happen by accident," says Kyle Stewart, Industry Specialist with Glatfelter Risk Control & Education. "But accidents can happen to drivers who do not employ safe driving behaviors each time they get behind the wheel." 

For more information on safety and risk management for religious organizations, check out our library of checklists, tips, and best practices below.