Vehicle Defect Reporting and Prohibition Notices for HGV Drivers
Defect reporting is part of driving
After (or during) a walkaround, anything that affects roadworthiness must be reported in writing through your company’s defect system and acted on before the vehicle is used if it is not safe. Verbal “someone should look at that” is not a system.
This article covers driver duties around defects and prohibitions. It is not a full workshop repair manual.
Immediate stop vs monitor
- Safety-critical (brakes, steering, lights that leave you illegal at night, major tyre failure, insecure load risk, etc.) — do not take the vehicle out; report and wait for clearance
- Minor items your procedure allows to be scheduled — still write them down the same day
Prohibition notices
Enforcement can issue a prohibition that forbids use of the vehicle (or trailer) until defects are cleared. Drivers may know related paperwork by informal names; the point is the same: you must not drive it while prohibited.
- Read what is prohibited (vehicle, trailer, or both)
- Do not “just shuffle to the next site” on a prohibited unit
- Keep copies / photos of notices as your company procedure requires
Pressure from the planner
“We need it out” does not override a prohibition or a safety-critical defect you have already written down. Your name is on the combination on the public road.
Driver habit
Report early, report in writing, and refuse unsafe use. A delayed defect report that appears only after a crash or roadside stop looks like concealment.
