What the rules say
The DVSA’s guidance to carry out van daily walkaround checks covers England, Scotland and Wales. It advises a check before each journey and lists what to look at. If you drive for a business with an operator licence, defects found must be recorded and reported, and nil defects recorded too. A dangerous defect must be fixed before the journey continues. Tyres alone carry three penalty points each when they are not safe and legal.
In Ireland, see the Road Safety Authority’s guidance on vehicle safety checks.
Most distribution vans are under 3.5 tonnes and run without an operator licence. A written check is still the simplest way to show a van was looked at before it went out, and it gets a defect to the workshop the same morning.
How to use it
- Check before the first drop, every day, and when a driver takes over a van mid-shift.
- Tick OK or Defect for every line. A blank line is not a pass.
- Write every defect in the defect record, with who it was reported to. If there are none, tick “No defects found”.
- Do not drive with a dangerous defect. Report it and wait for a decision.
- Hand the sheet in with the day’s paperwork, so the workshop and the planner both see it.
Van daily walkaround check
Before the first drop. Tick OK or Defect on every line.
Inside the van
| Check | OK | Defect |
|---|---|---|
| Front view clear; windscreen, mirrors and cameras undamaged and working | ||
| Washers and wipers working | ||
| No dashboard warning lights staying on | ||
| Steering moves freely, power assistance working | ||
| Horn works | ||
| Footwell clear; foot brake and parking brake working | ||
| Seats secure; seat belts undamaged and retracting |
Outside the van
| Check | OK | Defect |
|---|---|---|
| Lights, indicators and brake lights working; lenses clean | ||
| Fluid levels correct; fuel cap secure; no leaks | ||
| Battery secure and not leaking | ||
| Doors shut and lock; no loose panels or sharp edges | ||
| Tyres: tread, pressure, no cuts or bulges; wheel nuts secure | ||
| Load secured and not able to move | ||
| AdBlue topped up (diesel vans) | ||
| Exhaust: no leaks, smoke or excessive noise | ||
| Number plates secure, clean and readable | ||
| Other equipment: tail lift, fridge unit, racking |
Defect record
| Defect found | Dangerous? | Reported to | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
☐ No defects found
Sign-off
Where paper checks fall short
A paper sheet records that a check was done, but it cannot stop a van leaving with a failed item, and the workshop sees the defect only when someone hands the sheet in. A check ticked in the yard at speed looks the same on paper as a careful one.
