What is under the University Accident Review Committee's purview?

The University Accident Review Committee evaluates each accident in which a University-owned vehicle is involved and some accidents in which a rented or motorized-utility vehicle is involved. After thoroughly reviewing all of the material concerning each accident, the review committee determines whether the accident was Preventable, Not-Preventable, or an Incident, based upon the definitions of the criteria provided by the Department of State Police. After an accident is evaluated and classified by the committee, it is forwarded to the appropriate Vice President or designee of the employee involved.

Overview and Purpose

This document describes the general responsibilities of the University Accident Review Committee and the responsibilities of the University community in complying with the Provisions of Section 52-4, of the Code of Virginia, of 1950 as Amended, Memo-2001-No. 10 which requires each state agency to form an Accident Review Committee to review accidents that involve agency-owned vehicles. Penalties may be prescribed for the drivers involved, if the accidents were "Preventable". Additionally, all state agencies are required to submit an annual report to the Department of State Police, indicating the number of accidents falling within the categories of "Preventable", "Not-Preventable", or "Incident", defined in accordance with State Police guidelines. This program is established to emphasize the importance of safe driving, to develop a sense of responsibility among all employees in the operation of agency-owned vehicles, to reduce the number of vehicle accidents, to assign accountability, and to create an awareness of the need to drive defensively at all times.

Accident Committee Structure and Guidelines:

The University Accident Review Committee shall be comprised of at least three members of the University community from departments with significant fleets of vehicles and the Committee shall meet monthly, or as needed, to evaluate each accident in which an University-owned vehicle is involved. The committee will meet whenever the review of an accident involving a University-owned vehicle requires the committee's review.  The Office of Property & Liability Risk Management will provide the committee with the available information and documentation on all accidents needing to be reviewed from the period prior to the committee meeting. After thoroughly reviewing all of the material concerning each accident, the review committee shall evaluate each accident as Preventable, Not-Preventable, or Incident based upon the following criteria: It shall be considered a Preventable accident when the operator of the vehicle is found to have been guilty of contributory negligence. The accident shall be considered Not-Preventable when it has been determined that the operator of the state-owned vehicle did not contribute to the accident. Those cases resulting from natural forces, from acts by other than human sources, from a deliberate act (e.g., vandalism), from a non-perceivable object, or while the vehicle is properly parked shall be classified as an incident and not considered an accident.

Where the committee identifies other remedial action that might be taken (training, vehicle modifications, etc.), it may make such recommendations to the appropriate vice president or designee. The Property & Liability Risk Management Office will retain records of the activities of the University Accident Review Committee. The driver may appeal the decision of the committee by providing written statement to the committee with the reasons why he or she thinks the committee's recommendation should be changed. If the driver is not satisfied with the committee's decision in response to the appeal, then he or she may appeal the decision to his/her vice president, who may elect to have the Virginia State Police review the accident and provide their recommendations (per VSP Memo-2001-No.10 Revised-section VI) before making a final decision regarding the appeal.