The government’s Work-Related Road Safety Task Group has estimated that between 20% and 30% of traffic accidents include someone who was on the job at the time. There might be over twenty fatalities and over two hundred and fifty serious injuries per week as a result of this. The pre drive checklist can be quite effective in this process.
Staying Out of the Risks: First in pre drive checklist
The risks faced by employees who drive on the job cannot be adequately managed via mere adherence to traffic restrictions. According to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act of 1974, businesses are obligated to ensure the safety of their employees and anybody else who may be put in danger as a result of workplace activities. When an employee is on the clock, they are considered to be in the driver’s seat whether they are using a business automobile, a rental car, or their personal vehicle. There will always be an association between driving and risk.
It is the responsibility of the employer to take all reasonable measures to mitigate these risks and protect employees from injury, just as they would in the workplace. An organisation is nonetheless responsible for them even though they can’t be controlled completely. Therefore, it is important to pay close attention to any efforts that might help reduce these numbers.
The Safety Inspections are Essential
The safety inspection checklists provided are meant to encourage drivers to do and document all essential pre-trip vehicle inspections of their car or van. Their website offers downloadable versions of the checklists. A plan for managing a fleet might use these walk-around check sheets. They assist guarantee the vehicle’s safety while also lowering the vehicle’s maintenance costs.
Proper Ensuring of Safety
The installation of a thorough vehicle maintenance and safety plan allows fleet managers to get a signed and dated vehicle inspection checklist in the event of an accident. In the event of an accident, this record may be used to demonstrate that a regular maintenance schedule has been followed. The inspection covers many of the factors listed above by performing basic checks on the vehicle, such as the engine, which includes checking oil, screen wash, and the battery; various external checks, which include checking lights, mirrors, tyres, and documentation; and details on the driver, which includes checking things like whether or not their licence is current and whether or not they are fit to drive.
Utilising pre-trip checklists has several benefits
They were designed to help in finding problems and threats before they may affect operations. Unsafe cars and their accessories (such trailers) may cause serious harm or even death if they collide with pedestrians or other vehicles. Every business with a fleet of vehicles must prioritise fleet safety and maintenance programmes. The project’s success depends on having a system in place that allows for digital inspections to be done and documented for any vehicle or piece of equipment.
Conclusion
It is far more likely that you will find a fault with the car, such as a flat tyre or a broken indicator light, if you do a walk around inspection of the vehicle. The benefits to public safety are evident, but there may also be substantial economic benefits to doing pre-drive checks
