For drivers
- Say where it is. "Nearside front tyre" is better than "tyre".
- Say what you see. "Cut in sidewall, cord showing" is better than "damaged".
- Say how bad. Is it safe to drive? If in doubt, do not move the vehicle and call the office.
- Add a photo. One clear picture saves a long phone call.
- Tell someone. Do not just write it down. Make sure the person who decides knows.
For operators
- Act quickly. Decide whether the vehicle can run, run with a restriction, or must be taken off the road.
- Assign it. Someone owns the fix.
- Record the fix. What was done, by whom, and when.
- Close it. A defect that is never closed looks like an ignored defect.
Make it easy
The less effort reporting takes, the more defects you will hear about. In Kovi, the driver taps Something is not right, types a line and adds a photo. The office is emailed, assigns it and closes it, and every step is kept.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions
What if a driver ignores a defect?
Make it clear in training that reporting is expected and that no one is blamed for reporting honestly. Drivers who fear blame stay quiet.
Related
Defect reporting with photosDrivers report a defect with a note and a photo. The office is emailed straight away, assigns a fix and closes it off. Full history kept for every vehicle.HGV walkaround check guideWhat to check on an HGV before every journey: cab, tyres, lights, leaks, load and trailer. A step by step walkaround with what to record and report.