Dashpivot Article – Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Requirements

driver vehicle inspection report requirements

Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Requirements

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIRs) are regulatory requirements for any commercial vehicles. These are formal documents that signifies that a driver has inspected their vehicles prior and post operation. It is important for fleet operators, drivers, and safety managers to be knowledgeable about what is required with regard to DVIRs as it affects their compliance to regulation, avoids accident occurrence, and ensures vehicle’s life in a long term. In this article, we'll focus on your exact driver vehicle inspection report requirements so you can ensure you are doing the right things, and remaining compliant.

We will be talking about the salient features of a driver’s vehicle inspection report along with its purpose, required vehicular parts to be inspected, procedures for report completion process, and legal frameworks that apply.

Purpose of a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report

The main purpose of a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIRs) is to ensure that any vehicle used for commercial purposes is in the best possible condition and safe to operate.

Such comprehensive inspections are the first line of defence against mechanical failures and risks of hazards on the road. By conducting pre-trip and post-trip inspections, commercial drivers play a very important role in maintaining fleet safety and reliability.

DVIRs can be very helpful during compliance audits and maintenance planning if the records are collected and complied over time. The complied reports create a documented history of each vehicle’s maintenance needs, repairs, and overall condition, providing valuable data for fleet management decisions. The documentation process can help identify patterns of vehicle maintenance problems, which helps fleet managers with better resource allocation and long term strategies in managing the fleet. The historical data captured through DVIRs may also be valuable for planning of replacement of vehicles and determining total cost of ownership of different vehicle models in the fleet.

This is also serve as a compliance with the state and territory regulations that helps organisations protect against liability issues and improves maintenance schedules.

Components to Be Inspected Inline with Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Requirements

A complete DVIR details all the vehicle parts, which can be grouped into generalised systems. These systems consist of the following: the brakes, steering mechanisms, safety equipment, tires, lights, and body condition. The systematic organisation of these components ensures that drivers and maintenance personnel can thoroughly assess the vehicle's condition, identify potential issues, and maintain compliance with safety regulations.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Requirements on the Brake System

A vehicle’s breaking system is a vital safety feature that allows the driver to slow down or stop the vehicle from running. There are multiple kinds of brake systems in the industry today such as, Hydraulic brakes, drum brakes, disk brakes, and the most modern one, the anti-lock break system or commonly known as ABS. A good breakings system allows smooth manoeuvrability during intense traffic and bad weather conditions. To maintain this, drivers should perform detailed checks on the following: brake lining wear, brake fluid level, rotor thickness, condition of hoses and brake lines.

Steering Mechanism

The simple concept of the steering mechanism is to move your vehicle left and right by using the steering wheel. This is possible because of how the steering mechanism is ingeniously designed. The rotating motion of the steering wheel is converted to a swivelling movement by a rack and pinion gear. Since this is the part that is really responsible for driving, It is life-saving to regularly check the steering mechanism of a vehicle. A driver should always look for signs of a faulty steering mechanism. These signs often show as vibrations, noises, and delays in turning. It would also be best to check the mechanism physically. The driver should check for leaks, misaligned shafts, and missing components.

Lights and Reflectors Inspection Requirements

The lights and reflectors in your vehicle provides you visibility when driving in a dark road, and also provide other drivers visibility that you are on the road. These are important parts of your vehicle since these are what drivers primarily use to communicate on the road. They indicate to other drivers the position, direction and declaration of how your vehicle is moving. It is always necessary to inspect if your lights are working and the reflectors on your vehicle are still visible, for this is one of your lifelines on the road.

Wheels and Tires

Tires not only turn to move your car forward, but have multiple functions other than the one mentioned. Tires are the primary load carriers of a vehicle. They support the weight of the vehicle and the load inside it. They also provide traction on the road surface, preventing your vehicle from sliding on tight corners and turns, and finally, they transmit braking and steering forces to the road as the car is moving. Tires provide drivers with control over the vehicle, so it is a demand to inspect them regularly. To check the tires, a driver should physically check the pressure, tread depth, wear and tear, and any other damages.

Horns

Horns are also primary communication devices for drivers on the road. They are complementary to vehicular lights to provide other drivers that a vehicle is incoming or overtaking. Their primary purpose is to provide awareness and alert drivers on the road. It is necessary to check this device, as the consequences that could happen when they are dysfunctional are the same as the consequences when vehicular lights are dysfunctional.

Rearview Mirrors

A rearview mirror is a simple yet nifty device that allows the driver to see the rear side of the car. It gives drivers visibility of cars or objects behind the driven vehicle. This is a great tool for drivers to avoid collision hazards since drivers can check their rear before changing lanes. It is no question that rearview mirrors must always be attached and visible while on the road. Drivers must not drive when these are not present on the vehicle.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Requirements on Other Specific Components

This is a general list and not an exhaustive list of all the possible inspection points, as the specific components that need to be inspected can vary greatly depending on the make, model, intended use, operating conditions, and regulatory requirements in various jurisdictions or industries. The scope of inspection protocols may need to be customised to address unique characteristics of different vehicle types, such as passenger cars, commercial trucks, specialised industrial equipment.

DVIR Completion Process

Completing a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report is a highly sequential process encompassed by several significant safety steps in a never ending safety cycle. It starts with a pre-trip inspection in which a driver systematically goes through a checklist with the necessary components that needs to be checked, and documents all found defects or issues identified.

Once the trip is over, the driver does another complete inspection of the vehicle and updates the DVIR to identify any new issues, which may have occurred on the road. If problems are identified, the driver must record them in detail on the DVIR form; he specifically identifies both the nature and location of each issue.

Finally, all found issues and problems must be forwarded to a certified mechanic. They will check the necessary work to be done and maintenance activities to be performed. Once the vehicle has completed all necessary fixes, it would now be road worthy and the driver will do the pre-trip inspection again in his next run.

Regulatory Requirements

In the United States, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets forth regulations regarding DVIRs in Part 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). These regulations mandate that it is a requirement for commercial vehicle operators to conduct daily inspections and maintain DVIRs for vehicles that meet certain criteria, such as those weighing over 10,000 pounds. The regulations specify which parts of the vehicle should be inspected, and the time frame should be expounded on how long should DVIRs are retained. Non-compliance to DVIR regulations may attract fines and penalties, and increases the likelihood of unwanted injuries and accidents. Thus, for operators of commercial vehicles, knowledge of these regulations, and adherence to them is necessary.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports are a vital part of maintaining commercial vehicle safety and compliance and its critical to have Driver Vehicle Inspection Report Templates which meet these standards.. By conducting a thorough pre- and post-trip inspections and accurately completing DVIRs, drivers and fleet operators can ensure their vehicles are roadworthy, reduce the risk of accidents, and comply with regulatory requirements. As safety standards and regulations evolve, staying informed about DVIR requirements will continue to be essential for everyone involved in commercial vehicle operations.

See what a completed DVIR looks like to meet your Driver Vehicle Inspection Report requirements.

Driver Vehicle Inspection Report template

Run DVIRs with this Inspection Report form

Digitise your Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports

DVIRs can be easy to lose track of with what's been done and what is outstanding.

Using a dedicated driver vehicle inspection report app can help manage DVIRs in a quick overview in the Timeline View, or in the more detailed Register View.

Automated workflows make it easy to queue up, record and sign off on driver vehicle inspection reports.

Get insights on vehicle performance in the Analytics Dashboard to uncover information on defects found during DVIRs.

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About Felmar Niecel Mantalaba

Felmar is a mechanical engineer whose 4 years of experience in the mining industry inspired him to write and share stories to progress the revolution of new technologies and create smarter, smoother ways of living.

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