For business owners, road safety isn’t just about compliance. It can also help keep operations running smoothly by reducing downtime, protecting staff so they can stay on the job, and lowering vehicle and insurance costs.
BRITISH COLUMBIA – In just two minutes at the start of a shift, you and your employees can help prevent costly disruptions to your operations.
That’s all the time it takes for a simple pre-trip vehicle inspection. It can be as basic as a quick walk around the vehicle, checking for any visible defects or signs that it requires a more thorough inspection.
In BC, a pre-trip inspection is required for commercial vehicles. Non-commercial vehicles used for work require regular inspection, with pre-trips a best practice. This applies even to vehicles owned by an employee. Safety standards don’t change based on who owns the vehicle.
Work driving is often broader than employers realize. It can include sales reps calling on clients, managers travelling between sites, or staff running errands during the workday.
Done consistently, pre-trip inspections help reduce preventable disruptions, support legal compliance, and keep people and operations moving safely. They also set a clear expectation that safety starts before the vehicle leaves.
Here are three key points to remember about pre-trip inspections:
They’re part of your safety responsibilities
Drivers are responsible for checking that the vehicle is safe to operate before each trip. Employers are responsible for setting that expectation, making sure inspections are completed, and documenting that they’ve been done. If a defect could affect safety, it needs to be addressed before the vehicle is used for work.
They can be easy to do and save money
A pre-trip inspection doesn’t require mechanical expertise. A brief walk around can identify common issues such as under-inflated tires, damaged lights, restricted visibility, loose loads, or obvious fluid leaks.
Any of these could contribute to a crash, lead to breakdowns, or force drivers to cancel or delay work. The result could be missed appointments, frustrated customers, and unplanned costs.
Catching problems early allows repairs to be made before a trip starts, when they’re usually faster, cheaper, and far less disruptive.
They create a consistent safety standard
One of the challenges employers face is inconsistency. Some drivers check their vehicles, others don’t. A formal pre-trip inspection requirement removes that ambiguity.
To help you, Road Safety at Work has introduced a new walk-around vehicle inspection form that drivers can use at the start of each trip. The form helps drivers know what to look for and gives employers a simple way to document inspections.
By making a pre-trip inspection a routine part of every work-related trip, you help protect your people, your vehicles, and your business.
