Strict safety guidelines set by the DVSA for commercial vehicles i.e. heavy goods, light goods and public service vehicles, mean that the likes of minimum recommended daily walk around checks must be adhered to by drivers in order to remain compliant. But as a fleet manager, how do you ensure your drivers are completing their daily checks to the required legal standard?

Paper Records Can Often Mean Poor Compliance

If you rely on paper records to undergo compliance data records (such as your driver walk around checks), it can be hard to tell how often your drivers fully check their vehicles before departing. For instance, there’s a possibility your drivers could be taking shortcuts.

DVSA’s New Recognition Scheme

A new recognition scheme, set by the DVSA and centered around the accurate capturing and sharing of compliance data, promises to ‘minimise disruption to the most compliant’ of drivers, whilst clamping down on the ‘serially non-compliant’. How? Through remote auditing.

With such measures soon to be in place, it seems the pressure to complete daily walk around checks is ever-growing. And with the responsibility for checks namely on drivers, how can you ensure your workforce remain comply?

5 Ways to Encourage Drivers to Do Their Daily Walk Around Checks

Eradicate paperwork from the equation

Paper records simply won’t do. Not only is paper too easy to lose, damage, and doctor, paper records also prove difficult in persuading drivers to complete them, and to prove that they have.

Let’s face it… No-one enjoys filling out paperwork. So, finding newer, more user-friendly methods to eradicate paper from the daily vehicle check equation is sure to please your drivers.

Prevent them from getting hefty fines

The DVSA Guide points put that: “As the driver, you are responsible for the condition of your vehicle when in use on the road.” So, if drivers don’t complete their checks, they could face hefty fines.

By properly recording the daily checks, drivers can be certain that they have upheld their legal responsibilities, and dramatically reduce the risk of getting a fine.

Co-operation can gain drivers recognition & win them work

A strong history of compliance for a driver can lead to them gaining the recognition they deserve and in addition, winning work by demonstrating quality and consistency.

Give them the efficient tools they need

Having the processes and tools in place to flag up and fix issues before they become a real problem means a driver can be more efficient, and benefit from reduced downtime.

With a manual checklist, it is all too easy for drivers to tick the boxes without really completing the daily checks. Yet by using an advanced, automatic device which displays the exact time and GPS location, it becomes easy to monitor the exact time and GPS location of each individual check, making it harder for drivers to fake them.

Send them reminders

Sometimes we all need a friendly reminder, particularly as even after you’ve persuaded your drivers that they must complete their checks, and equipped them with the relevant toolset do so, they may still forget.

Whether you send reminders by means of a monthly pep-talk, safety presentation, signage or even via electronic notifications, daily checks can help to keep your drivers safe, and drivers need to be reminded of this – frequently.

Comply with Vehicle inspection Legislation

The driver daily walk around checks are a pivotal part of vehicle maintenance. And whilst the responsibility for completing and recording daily walk around checks falls on drivers, it can also save your business resources further down the line by quickly identifying and resolving issues, keeping your fleet running efficiently.

One tool that can help to monitor and record checks, send reminders about missed checks, and provide overall transparency is EDG’s Vehicle Inspection system.

Book a demo of our remote handheld devices or speak to one of the team about how this portable system can help you to ensure drivers complete their checks.