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FLEET MANAGEMENT

Check vehicle lights daily

Seeing – and being seen – at night is vital, but few drivers ever bother to check their lights on a regular basis and this something that should form part of fleet policy, where every vehicle leaving the premises undergoes a quick check.

Procedure (x/hd)

The driver sits in the cab and an assistant stands outside the vehicle facing the windscreen

1. The assistant extends the index finger of both hands and points to both front park lamps. If any park light does not function the assistant then takes his hand and points to either the left or right hand to inform the driver which park light is faulty.
2. The assistant makes a fist on each hand and points to both front head lights and the driver responds by switching on his head light if all the lights are working. If any head light does not function the assistant then takes his hand and points to either the left or right hand to inform the driver which park light is faulty.
3. The assistant then takes the palm of each hand which indicates to the driver that he must operate on his bright light switch. To indicate that the lights are functions correctly. If any park light does not function the assistant then takes his hand and points to either the left or right hand to inform the driver which headlight light is fault.
4. The assistant then flexes his entire finger on one hand to indicate to the driver to operate his indicator switch. The driver then switches on his ignition switch and operates the indicator switch changing from left to right to check if the indicator lights are working. If any indicator light does not function the assistant then takes his hand and points to either the left or right hand to inform the driver which indicator light is fault.
5. The assistant proceeds to point his index finger to his ear to indicate to the driver that he must check that the hooter functions correctly.
6. The assistant then walks to the left hand side of the vehicle and adjust the passenger mirror of the vehicle, for the driver, to ensures that the driver can see any traffic on his left hand side and include the assistant who will be standing virtually in the same position of a car on the left hand side of the vehicle and can be seen in the drivers mirror, when doing the following checks. Vehicle.
7. The assistant extends his index finger of both hands and points to the rear park lamps, while the driver looks in the mirror and can see the assistants fingers, and switches on the park lights. If any light is not working the assistant takes his index finger and points to either the left or right hand indicating which side rear park light is not working (also includes number plate light)
8. The assistant they takes the palm of both his hands which the driver can see in his left front mirror indicating to the driver to apply his foot brake to check that both rear brake lights are working. If any light is not working the assistant takes his index finger and points to either the left or right hand indicating which side rear park light is not working
9. The assistant then flexes all his fingers on one hand either left or right, and points to the indicator lights to indicate to the driver to operate his indicator switch. The driver then switches on his ignition switch and operates the indicator switch changing from left to right to check if the indicator lights are working. If any indicator  light does not function the assistant then takes his index finger  and points to either the left or right hand to inform the driver which indicating   light is  not functioning
10. If all the lights are function correctly the assistant will raise his thumb to indicate that everything is 100%

Article reproduced from Fleet magazine