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Charlotte Haye 10th September 2020

HGV Pre-Drive Safety Checks – Part 1

If you’re a professional HGV driver, or looking to become one, then you already know that driving is only part of the job. Along with getting goods from A to B, there are a lot of other elements you need to take into account – tasks you need to do to be good at your job. For example, loading and unloading your vehicle, planning routes, managing your breaks, and a fair bit of paperwork on top of it all. And one of the most important non-driving jobs is your pre-drive safety checks. These ensure that your vehicle is still in good working order and safe to be on the roads. There is a set list of checks you have to do, and today we’re going to go through the first part – interior checks.

Inside the Vehicle

The first of your pre-drive checks will happen inside the vehicle. This is your cab, and the inside of your trailer. These checks ensure everything is present and in proper working order before you start driving. There are 9 areas you need to check:

Mirrors and glass: there are a lot of different glass and mirror elements on your vehicle, and you need to know they are all in full working order. Check the condition of your windscreen, ensuring there are no chips or nicks, and that your mirrors aren’t cracked, scratched or dirty. None of the windows should be excessively tints, and all glass/mirrors should be positioned correctly, with no missing glass or obscured view. If you have a camera system installed instead of mirrors, then power this up and make sure it’s all working, and the cameras are positioned correctly.

Windscreen wipers and washers: Check your washer fluid levels, and make sure your wipers are in place, undamaged and working properly.

Front view: Sit in the driver’s seat of your can and check that nothing is getting in the way of your view. You should have a clear, full view from the driver’s seat, and there should be nothing in the swept area of the windscreen that could cause distraction or obscure view. The only exception to this is some official or road safety stickers.

Dashboard warning lights & Gauges: turn on your engine and watch your dashboard lights. Make sure all of the instruments, gauges and lights are turning on and working correctly. Once the engine is running, check for warning messages, and address anything that comes up.

Steering: While still in the drivers seat, turn the steering wheel and check that it’s moving properly. It shouldn’t be too tough to move, nor should it have a lot of extra play. If you have power steering, make sure it’s still working and doesn’t jam.

Horn: Check that your horn works when you press it, and that it’s easily reachable from the driver’s seat.

Brakes & air build up: Check and test your breaks to make sure:

That the air builds up correctly and the warning system works
There are no air leaks
The footwell is clear
The service brake operates the tractor and trailer brakes
The parking brake for your trailer works
The service break pedal doesn’t have any excessive side play or missing, loose or incomplete anti-slip tread

Height Marker: Height markers are important for HGVs, as they are very tall vehicles, but each one can differ slightly. The height of your vehicle can also change depending on how much is loaded in, the fifth wheel being adjusted or just the way it’s mounted. So before you drive anywhere, make sure the correct vehicle height is displayed on the height marker in the cab, and you know what this is, in case you come across any low bridges or barriers.

Seatbelts: Again, in the drivers seat, check the seatbelts. They should be in good working order, with no nicks, cuts, tears or wear in the fabric of the belt. When you plug them in they should stay secure and retract against you, and then retract completely when you take it off. This simple bit of fabric could save your life, so it’s important to check it over.

Don’t worry – it’s not as scary as it looks! And if you think you might need some help remembering it all, you can download this check sheet from the DVLA to help you. And that’s it for Part 1 – stay tuned for Part 2, which will cover the outside vehicle safety checks.

At Easy as HGV, we specialise in training new and aspiring HGV drivers every aspect of their job – not just the practical driving side of things. So as part of your training, we will go through all of this with you, demonstrating the techniques, sharing checklists and showing you how to do it all yourself. If you would like to know more, just get in touch with us today.

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