Vehicle & Fleet Checklists

Vehicle pre-trip inspections are a core obligation under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Chain of Responsibility framework, which applies to all parties in the heavy vehicle transport chain — including operators, schedulers, consignors and consignees. Under the HVNL, all parties must take all reasonable steps to prevent breaches of mass, dimension, load restraint and fatigue standards, and a documented pre-trip inspection is a key component of demonstrating those steps were taken.

For light vehicles used in the course of work, the WHS Act duty to provide and maintain safe plant and structures also applies. A driver completing a pre-trip check on a work vehicle is fulfilling part of both their own duty of care and the PCBU's duty to provide safe plant. Any defects identified must be reported and the vehicle must not be used until the defect is repaired.

For heavy vehicles, the inspection must cover the items specified in Schedule 2 of the HVNL inspection standards, including brakes, steering, tyres, lights, load restraint and coupling equipment. Trailer brake and coupling checks are particularly critical and must be performed every time a trailer is connected. Completed inspection records must be kept and made available to an authorised officer on request.