Top tips for looking after your business vehicles

If your business relies on a vehicle, then it’s important you keep that vehicle in good working order. From motor traders to delivery drivers, a breakdown can cause all sorts of problems with your daily operations, so you need to make sure your vehicles are as well-kept and safe as possible.

At DNA, we know that business vehicles come in all shapes and sizes – from vans, to cars to minibuses – but taking care of them is pretty easy if you follow a few simple steps. So we’ve rounded them up for you.

Regular inspections

The best way to keep your business vehicles in good condition is to pay them some attention. Make regular inspections part of your routine and draw up a checklist of key areas to keep an eye on, from tyre pressures to lights and wipers. Business vehicles clock up a lot of miles, so tyres should be checked regularly so they can be replaced before they grow too worn.

Likewise, take note of whether your vehicle is clean or not. Is there any risk of corrosion or rust forming, which could lead to long term problems? The more you monitor the condition of your van, the easier you can keep on top of any potential issues.

Check under the bonnet

Looking under the bonnet on a regular basis is important. If there’s a fault developing with the engine, it can cause real (and expensive) problems if it’s not picked up on. Start with radiator coolant levels – is the coolant level between the low and high markings? This should be simple to check just by taking a look at the overflow bottle that’s generally visible in most vehicle models.

Oil levels are critical too. Make sure your vehicle is on level ground when you check these for the most accurate reading and, again, make sure the oil is sitting between the low and high readings on the dipstick.

Stick to your service schedule

The more miles you do, the more chance for something to go wrong with your vehicle. Whatever your line of work, if you’re relying on a van or car then you should make sure you get it serviced regularly, according to the manufacturers’ recommendations. This could be after a certain period of time, such as every two years, or when your vehicle hits a mileage milestone, e.g. every 15,000 miles. A professional service gives you the peace of mind your vehicle is in the best condition it can be for its age and history, so you can feel confident behind the wheel yourself – and when you send out other drivers.

Train your drivers

When you employ people to drive your business vehicles, from courier vans to minibuses, you have a duty of care to make sure they are as safe as they can be on the road. Not only should you monitor the condition of your vehicles but you should make sure your drivers do too.

Offer detailed training and guidance so your drivers understand everything about the vehicle, from how to top up tyre pressures, to how to understand warning signs on the dashboard, to what load tolerances each vehicle has. Make sure they know to report any problems or warning lights as soon as possible so it can be checked before the next journey – and not to skip on any checks to save time.

Get the right business van insurance

At the end of the day, you want your business to run as seamlessly and safely as possible. By putting aside a little time on a regular basis to check the condition of your business van or vehicle, you can save yourself the stress and cost of a breakdown. But of course, accidents happen, even with the best of care. So you should protect your business vehicles with the right insurance.

At DNA, we’re specialists in motor trade insurance and we offer a range of motor covers for businesses, including business van insurance, minibus insurance and courier van insurance – plus motor fleet insurance if you operate multiple vehicles. We even offer risk management training to help boost your road safety and overall security.

So if you want a quick (and competitive) quote, just give us a bell. You’ll find our experienced team offer honest advice and straightforward service that’ll help get your business vehicles covered in no time.