Do you want to dramatically reduce your business downtime and save thousands?
If you are a business owner who has a fleet of vehicles and transports people or goods, then you are probably all too familiar with the headache of a vehicle breakdown. One minute your driver is on his way to the client or site, the next they’re on the phone to you to let you know that the van just won’t start.
Ok, let’s be honest…
If you don’t do daily vehicle safety checks properly then you are essentially gambling with your business.
On average there are 4 days downtime per vehicle on a fleet within a year and it costs a business on average £800 per vehicle that experiences downtime. These are dollars straight from your pocket.
The great news is that the majority of vehicle breakdowns are completely avoidable with some simple daily vehicle safety checks.
In this post we’re going to cover the following topics:
- Why Daily Vehicle Safety Checks Are More Important Than Ever Before
- The Real Cost of Vehicle Downtime
- The Essential Daily Safety Checks Your Business Must Be Doing
- How To Put In Place A Bullet Proof Safety Check System
- The Technologies That Are Making Safety Checks A Darn Site Effort
Why Daily Vehicle Safety Checks Are More Important Than Ever Before
Daily vehicle safety checks are not just a nice to have these days. In fact, they’re pretty darn critical to business success.
Think about it…
Vehicles are the lifeblood of any business that transports goods or people. If they’re not running, the whole operation grinds to a halt. Deliveries get delayed, customers get frustrated, and before long your brand reputation takes a hit.
But here’s something that a lot of business owners don’t realize…
The regulatory environment is changing. Over eighty people are seriously injured on UK roads daily, which is a figure the authorities are keen to get down to zero.
Which is why carrying out a robust daily vehicle safety checklist is good practice. With this businesses can avoid it becoming a legal requirement. Fleet managers who take these checks seriously help avoid an expensive world of compliance violations and potential lawsuits, which helps your business in the long run.
The reality is that:
- Vehicles run their best when they are well-maintained
- The majority of common breakdowns can be caused by simple neglect
- Many issues can be identified early on with daily safety checks
The Real Cost of Vehicle Downtime
Ok, I want to show you just how costly vehicle downtime really is…
According to the latest industry data, Vehicle downtime costs a fleet between $448 to $760 a day, per vehicle.
Just to really hammer this point home, let me share a real-world example that will shock you:
A fleet of 1,000 units that experiences just five 90-minute downtime events per vehicle each year will end up paying more than $594,975 per year to keep their fleet up and running. That’s more than half a million pounds that could be going back into your business to grow it.
But wait, the costs don’t stop there:
- Lost productivity while drivers sit and wait around
- Customer satisfaction plummets when deliveries are late
- Emergency repair costs are triple those of preventive maintenance
- Rental or courtesy vehicle expenses while yours is out of action
- Insurance premiums rising after safety incidents
Ok, here’s the kicker. The average fleet spends between 8% and 10% of their average marginal costs on maintenance and repairs alone. Which means that for every £100 spent operating a vehicle, up to £10 is going to maintenance and repair.
That’s a huge chunk of your operating budget that is essentially getting thrown away if it’s not spent on proactively maintaining your vehicles. The good news is that it’s also an area where you can make a huge dent in your costs.
The Essential Daily Safety Checks Your Business Must Be Doing
Ok, so let’s be more specific. What should you actually be checking?
Well, the most effective daily vehicle safety checks are the ones that focus on the components that are most likely to give you problems.
Exterior Checks
Tyres and wheels: Check for correct inflation levels, visible damage, and sufficient tread depth. Tyre damage is the single biggest cause of roadside breakdowns.
Lights and indicators: Check that all headlights, taillights, brake lights, and indicators are working as they should. A single blown bulb is not just a safety hazard. It’s a magnet for the authorities.
Mirrors and glass: Check all mirrors are properly adjusted and clean with no cracks or damage that could reduce visibility.
Under the Hood
Fluid levels: Check the oil, coolant, brake fluid, and windscreen washer fluid levels are all topped up and in good condition.
Belts and hoses: Look for signs of wear, cracking, or leaking that could lead to sudden failure.
Battery condition: Check the battery terminals for corrosion and the connections are tight.
Interior Safety
Seat belts: Check that all seat belts retract and lock properly.
Safety equipment: Check first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and emergency triangles are present and in good working condition.
Driver controls: Check the horn, wipers, heating, and air conditioning systems work as they should.
Here’s the thing most businesses get wrong though…
They think of these checks as a bit of a chore. A boring process that eats up time instead of a critical investment in business success. The businesses that win have safety checks hardwired into their culture.
How To Put In Place A Bulletproof Safety Check System
Ok, so now we’ve got the ‘what’ under control, let’s talk about the ‘how’.
Creating a system that works isn’t as easy as handing out clipboards to drivers.
Start with assigning accountability. Having a driver do safety checks but without assigning specific responsibility is like saying, “I expect someone to do this but I don’t really care who”. So, make a specific person or team accountable for daily checks.
Keep it simple. Complicated checklists and processes don’t get done. Concentrate on the basics that will have the biggest positive impact.
Document everything. Record all inspections and any issues found. This not only protects you legally, it also helps to track down patterns that indicate larger issues.
Fix issues immediately. Doing a safety check but ignoring the results is a pointless exercise. Resolve any identified problems as soon as you can.
The most successful fleets I’ve seen use a simple three-step approach:
- Pre-trip inspection. Every driver conducts a pre-trip check before hitting the road
- Issue reporting. Problems are flagged immediately through a standardized system
- Rapid response. Maintenance teams prioritize safety-critical repairs
The Technologies That Are Making Safety Checks A Darn Site Effort
Ok, now for the fun stuff…
Technology is revolutionizing how businesses are managing daily vehicle safety checks. I’m talking about more than just digitizing old paper forms.
Digital inspection apps mean drivers can complete checks on their smartphones and have them automatically uploaded to your fleet management system.
Telematics systems can flag potential issues in real-time, so you are alerted to problems before they lead to downtime.
Predictive maintenance software can spot when a component is likely to fail based on the vehicle data. This allows you to plan for repairs during periods of planned downtime.
These technologies start to pay for themselves very quickly via reduced downtime and maintenance expenses.
Smart fleet managers are also making use of automated alerts to remind drivers to do checks. As well as exception reporting to identify patterns that could signal larger issues.
But remember, technology is only as good as the systems and people behind it. Building a culture where safety checks are prioritized is the real key to success.
Wrapping Up The Facts
Daily vehicle safety checks are not just a nice-to-have. They are the single most important thing you can do to drastically reduce costly downtime and prevent unexpected vehicle breakdowns.
Businesses that have systematic safety check programs in place see dramatic improvements in vehicle reliability, reduced maintenance costs, and far better fleet performance.
Don’t wait until you’ve got a big breakdown on your hands. Prevention is always cheaper than emergency repairs.
