Best Practice Guide Written by Phil Lloyd, head of engineering and vehicle standards policy at the Freight Transport Association (FTA)
VEHICLE SAFETY
How to ensure your vehicles are road safe & green Phil Lloyd, FTA’s head of engineering and vehicle standards policy, pulls out some of the most salient points from the updated DVSA Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness and shares his key advice All vehicle operators and drivers wanting to check if a vehicle is road safe should refer to DVSA’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness. The guide, applicable to commercial goods vehicles and passenger carrying vehicles, was recently updated and provides bestpractice advice and legal requirements. For those wishing to reduce their fleets’ carbon emissions, there are many tools and techniques available, which can also help to extend the life of a vehicle and make its operation more cost effective. Phil Lloyd, FTA’s head of engineering and vehicle standards policy, pulls out some of most salient points from the Guide to Roadworthiness and shares his key advice. Check lists The most effective way to keep a vehicle road-safe between roadworthiness safety
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Traffic Commissioners can take action against anyone who fails to complete an adequate walk-around check, so this procedure must not be overlooked. Drivers are legally responsible for the condition of a vehicle when in use on the road and report any defects swiftly, for example, unusual vehicle vibrations. In addition to these regular checks, firstuse inspections and regular roadworthiness safety inspections must be completed. Transport managers and operators should ensure these safety inspections are reflective of the conditions to which the vehicle is put. For example, a vehicle used regularly in hilly areas may require more frequent checks of its brakes.
Emissions considerations inspections is to undertake Operators and drivers should make T he mos daily pre-use vehicle every effort to reduce vehicle t effectiv checks and make emissions wherever possible. e way to keep sure any defects or There are several different defect symptoms methods available to do road-sa a vehicle f e are reported this, such as encouraging b e tw roadwo immediately, with fuel-efficient driving rthiness een safety remedial action through education, inspectio ns is to being taken as training, incentives and the u ndertak soon as possible, in installation of telematics. vehicle e daily some cases before Routing and scheduling checks the vehicle is used. processes can optimise fuel Key elements of efficiency, while aerodynamics, this routine should tyre management, and utilising include (where applicable) alternative fuels can also reduce checking electric warning indicators, emissions. Identifying a fuel or energy efficiency security of the load, number plates, champion will also help promote this agenda. lights and indicators, steering, security With the upcoming introduction of Clean of body/wings/mudflaps, wheel security, Air Zones (CAZ) across several cities and general tyre condition and mirrors. London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ),
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