What are vehicle inspections?

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For this meeting, we will define a vehicle inspection as an inspection of a company car, pick-up truck, or other motor vehicle that is tagged and registered with a state’s department of motor vehicles.

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of on the job fatalities in the U.S. For this reason, we must do everything we can to avoid unnecessary risk, and vehicle inspections are a part of this effort.
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How do motor vehicle defects impact your safety and health?

1. Tire pressure and condition can cause tire blowouts and loss of vehicle control while driving
2. Defective tail lights can cause other drivers to collide with your vehicle from behind
3. Defective headlights can obscure your vehicle and cause others to pull in front of you
4. Missing or defective mirrors can prevent you from seeing other motor vehicles while switching lanes or backing up
5. Broken seat adjustments can be a major distraction while driving
6. Defective engine and transmission parts can cause your vehicle to fail and create a roadside hazard to you and other drivers
7. Defective windshield wipers or water reservoirs can fail to clean your windshield, obscuring your vision and causing an accident
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What key items can you visually check on a motor vehicle to reduce the risk of an accident?

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1. Windshield: check for cracks and cleanliness
2. Outside mirrors: check for cracks, cleanliness and adjustability
3. Headlights: check for serviceability
4. Taillights: check for serviceability
5. Tires: check for low or high pressure, bald spots, cuts, protruding objects, wire and other defects
6. Leaks: check on the ground underneath the vehicle for oil, water or transmission fluid leaks
7. Brake parts: check behind the wheels for out of place, hanging, broken or cracked components
8. Horn: check for serviceability
9. Inside mirrors: check for serviceability and adjustability
10. Seat adjusters: check for adjustability
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*Note: Never operate a vehicle if it is not safe, and report defects to your supervisor immediately. Always wear a seatbelt while operating a motor vehicle. This is by far the greatest thing you can do to reduce the risk of injury or death, if a motor vehicle accident does happen.

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