Regular vehicle inspections help you determine if your vehicle has any problems. Checking key parts like brakes, tires, lights, mirrors, seatbelts, steering, fluid levels, etc., helps identify problems early and prevent costly repairs.
In this blog, you’ll learn about:
- Benefits of conducting regular vehicle inspections
- Things to check during vehicle inspections
- How often should you perform a vehicle inspection
- Digital inspection tools
- ClearQuote’s Free Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template Download
Benefits of conducting regular vehicle inspections
1. Prevents Breakdowns:
Regular vehicle inspections identify small issues before they become major problems, reducing the risk of unexpected vehicle failures.
2. Improves safety:
Checking brakes, tires, lights, mirrors, and steering ensures all the parts are in good condition. This helps prevent accidents, keeping drivers and others safe on the road.
3. Reduces Repair Costs:
Fixing minor vehicle issues early is cheaper than major repairs caused by neglect.
4. Increases Vehicle Lifespan:
Proper maintenance helps vehicles last longer and perform better over time.
5. Ensures Compliance:
Routine fleet inspections help meet legal requirements and avoid fines, penalties, or potential vehicle downtime due to non-compliance.
How Often Should You Perform a Vehicle Inspection?
The frequency of vehicle inspections depends on factors like vehicle type, usage, and safety requirements.
1. Daily Vehicle Inspection:
The main objective of a daily vehicle inspection is to ensure the vehicle is roadworthy and the driver is aware of the vehicle condition before starting a trip. This involves checking key items – quick checks on tyres, mirrors, windshield, wipers, seatbelts, charging cables, brakes, handbrakes, warning lights etc. According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), here’s what you need to check inside and outside your van during a daily walkaround check.
2. Biweekly Checks:
The bi-weekly inspection checklist provides a more in-depth assessment of the vehicle. In addition to the items in the daily check, this includes more indepth assessment of tyres (tread depth, wear), brakes, mechanicals, engine, fluid levels, battery health and bodywork.
3. Accident Inspection / First Notification of Loss:
An accident pack/inspection (also known as FNOL or First Notification of Loss) is to be done in the case of an accident (usually involving a third party) that might result in a potential insurance claim. It is essential to capture details of the accident immediately, along with the cause of the incident, damage caused to the third party, etc., and report this to the insurer.
Digital vehicle inspection software
There are several popular SaaS applications (including mobile apps) which can be used to carry out vehicle inspections. Some of these include
- Checkedsafe
- Vehocheck
- Fleetio
- Whiparound (popular in the US)
- Doforms (popular in the US)
- Safetyculture
- Fleetcheck
- ClearQuote
- Some fleets also use Jotform and other generic form builder apps to create their custom checklists
- Telematics platforms also provide add-on driver apps to carry out inspections
Benefits of digital vehicle inspections – more efficient, information can be used to make decisions around maintenance and repairs for the fleet, more eco friendly.
ClearQuote Vehicle Inspection Checklist Template: Free Download
ClearQuote offers the functionality to set up different checklists – daily, biweekly, incident reporting, also in-fleet / de-fleet checklists. What differentiates ClearQuote from the other inspection apps:
- Uses AI to guide users to capture the right set of images, reducing chances of poor quality or incorrect images
- Automates damage assessment and reduces unreported damage, thereby increasing accountability with drivers
Here are templates of our most commonly used checklists – now to keep your vehicles in the best condition possible and ensure every inspection is accurate and consistent.
- CQ Daily Vehicle Inspection Checklist
- CQ Bi-Weekly Vehicle Inspection Checklist
- Accident Inspection Checklist
Regular vehicle inspections are a good way to keep your vehicles safe, reliable, and roadworthy. They help catch problems early, reduce repair costs, and ensure compliance with legal standards. Use ClearQuote’s free checklist templates to make your inspection process quicker and more consistent. Start today and keep your fleet in the best condition possible.
