Collection

Commercial vehicle safety and maintenance

Guides about keeping commercial vehicles safe to drive, including heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), vans, buses, coaches and other public service vehicles.

• From: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
• Published: 8 October 2013
• Last updated: 10 February 2022 — See all updates

Safety and maintenance for all vehicles

• Keeping commercial vehicles safe to drive (roadworthy)
  • 18 April 2023
  • Guidance
• Tyre defects and damage: HGVs, buses and trailers
  • 9 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Commercial vehicles: wheel maintenance
  • 20 June 2014
  • Promotional material
• Electronic braking performance monitoring systems: industry standard specification
  • 12 May 2023
  • Guidance
• Commercial vehicles: maintain brake automatic slack adjusters
  • 19 November 2021
  • Guidance
• Prepare your commercial vehicle for the headlamp aim test
  • 15 July 2013
  • Guidance
• Overhanging loads on vehicles
  • 1 April 2009
  • Guidance
• How to prevent vehicles from hitting bridges
  • 9 July 2014
  • Guidance

HGVs and trailers

• Carry out HGV daily walkaround checks
  • 21 September 2023
  • Guidance
• MOT inspection manual: HGVs
  • 14 March 2023
  • Guidance
• Understanding your braking connections when using a trailer
  • 16 July 2013
  • Promotional material
• Prepare your HGV for the brake test
  • 13 April 2016
  • Guidance
• Understanding your HGV or trailer’s brake test report
  • 10 February 2022
  • Guidance
• HGV overloading: the basics
  • 16 July 2013
  • Guidance
• Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles
  • 20 July 2023
• HGV conspicuity marking rules
  • 7 July 2023
  • Guidance

Vans

• Driving a van: daily walkaround check
  • 21 May 2022
  • Guidance
• Running a fleet of vans
  • 21 May 2022
  • Guidance
• MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles
  • 2 April 2024

Buses, coaches and other public service vehicles

• Carry out bus or coach daily walkaround checks
  • 18 April 2023
  • Guidance
• MOT inspection manual: public service vehicles (PSVs)
  • 14 March 2023
  • Guidance
• Bus, coach and minibus seat belt standards
  • 19 July 2013
  • Guidance
• Guidance for operators of stretch limousines
  • 20 March 2013
  • Guidance

Published 8 October 2013
Last updated 10 February 2022 + show all updates

1. 10 February 2022

   Added 'Understanding your HGV or trailer’s brake test report' to the document collection.

2. 9 December 2020

   Added 'Tyre defects and damage: HGVs, buses and trailers' to the collection.

3. 27 March 2015

   Added 'Load securing: vehicle operator guide' to the document collection.

4. 8 October 2013

   First published.