What is a vehicle inspection checklist?
A vehicle inspection checklist is the list of checks a driver makes before a trip, and often after it, to find faults before they cause a breakdown or an accident. In a fleet it is also a record: who checked which vehicle, when, and what they found.
This pre-trip inspection form follows a walk-around order, marks the checks that should stop a vehicle from being driven, and has a log for every defect so the workshop can close it. It works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice Calc, and prints on one page.
How to use the vehicle inspection form
- Add your vehicles on the Settings sheet, and check the target days to fix each severity.
- Before each trip, the driver fills in the vehicle, date, odometer and inspection type, then marks every check as OK, Defect or N/A, with a note or photo reference for each defect.
- Read the result at the top of the sheet before driving off.
- Copy each defect to the Defect log the same day, with its severity and who will fix it.
- Review the Defect log weekly: filter for Overdue and Open, and record the date each fault is fixed.
What does the pre-trip checklist cover?
| Area | Checks | Critical |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior | Body, mirrors, windscreen, wipers | 2 of 4 |
| Tires and wheels | Tread and damage, pressure, wheel nuts, spare | 2 of 4 |
| Lights | Headlights, indicators, brake lights, reverse | 3 of 4 |
| Engine and fluids | Oil, coolant, brake fluid, leaks | 2 of 4 |
| Cab and controls | Seat belts, horn, brakes, steering, warning lights, tracking unit | 4 of 6 |
| Safety equipment | Fire extinguisher, first aid kit, triangle and vest | 1 of 3 |
| Documents | Registration and insurance, driver license | 1 of 2 |
| Load and coupling | Load secured, coupling and air lines | 2 of 2 |
Rename, add or remove checks to suit your vehicles. Keep the Critical item column for faults that should keep a vehicle off the road.
How is the safe-to-drive result worked out?
The sheet counts the results and shows the first message that applies:
In the example, the washer fluid is empty and every critical check is OK, so the result is "Can drive: report the defects".
Defect log and target days to fix
Each defect gets a severity. Days open count from the report date to the fix date, or to today while the defect is open. A defect is overdue when it stays open longer than the target for its severity:
Summer heat readiness and vehicle handover
Hot weather is hard on cooling systems, batteries, tires and drivers. The Heat readiness sheet lists ten checks to run before the hot season and repeat monthly during it. The Handover form records the odometer, fuel level, damage and the items handed over each time a vehicle changes driver, so new damage can be traced to the right shift.
Limits of a paper or Excel inspection
A checklist only works if it is done honestly every time. It does not replace the vehicle maker's service schedule or the inspection rules in your country. The workbook does not check that the inspection happened before the trip; that depends on your process and supervision.