How to Run Pre-Dispatch Vehicle Checks That Protect You Legally and Keep Your Fleet Off the Side of the Road
Who This Is For
You dispatch vehicles daily — a fleet of delivery trucks, company cars, or field service vehicles. Drivers are supposed to do a pre-dispatch check. There's a paper form. Nobody believes it's being filled in at the time it's supposed to be. An insurer is asking questions about a recent breakdown, and the pre-trip inspection record from that morning is inconclusive at best.
The Problem
A driver signing a pre-dispatch form while the engine is already running isn't doing a vehicle check — they're completing a compliance formality. When a tyre blows out on the highway or a brake failure causes an accident, the insurer's first request is the pre-trip inspection record for that vehicle on that morning. A form that was clearly filled in after the fact, or is blank in key areas, doesn't protect you. In some cases it makes things worse, because it shows the inspection process wasn't being followed in good faith. The safety cost is the part that keeps fleet managers up at night. Vehicles with known brake problems, flagged engine warning lights, and visibly worn tyres get dispatched because no structured check forces the driver to record what they actually found. The driver who signs off "all good" on a vehicle that isn't, and later causes an incident, leaves you with a liability you could have structurally prevented.
What You Can Achieve
- Vehicles don't leave the yard without a completed, photo-evidenced inspection — the workflow requires it, the driver can't skip it
- Critical defects flagged during a check create a documented hold record — the vehicle is pulled until the issue is resolved, and there's a paper trail for why
- Insurance claims are backed by a pre-dispatch record showing vehicle condition before the trip — not undermined by missing or clearly post-dated documentation
- Every sign-off is attributed to a specific driver — so when a vehicle is dispatched in poor condition, the accountability conversation has a name attached to it
- Over time, defect history across the fleet shows you which vehicles have recurring problems before those problems become accidents
- NTSA compliance audits have a complete, exportable inspection history for every vehicle in the fleet covering any requested period
The Hakiki Workflow
- 1Vehicle Registration / Fleet ID Text
Enter vehicle registration plate or fleet ID — ties the inspection record to the specific vehicle
- 2Tyre Condition — All 4 Boolean
Confirm all four tyres are inflated, free of visible damage, and have adequate tread depth
- 3Brake Feel Test Boolean
Confirm brakes have been tested at low speed and feel is firm — no sponginess or pulling
- 4All Lights Functional Boolean
Confirm headlights, indicators, brake lights, and reverse lights are all functional
- 5Dashboard Warning Lights Clear Boolean
Confirm no warning lights are illuminated on startup — engine, oil, brake, or battery alerts
- 6Engine Oil Level Single Select
Select: OK / Low / Critical — if Critical, vehicle is held until resolved before dispatch
- 7Fuel Level Text
Enter fuel level (%) — ensures driver is not dispatched on a route they cannot complete
- 8Vehicle Exterior Photo File Upload
Photo of vehicle exterior showing full body — documents pre-existing condition before each trip
- 9Driver Sign-Off Boolean
Driver confirms vehicle has been checked and is roadworthy — with timestamp and driver ID
HAKIKI Features Used
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