Any business using vehicles knows the importance of road safety.
But safety starts at home — long before the journey.
So, if you’re running a fleet or a commercial workshop, you need to know the vehicles you’re sending out are as safe and reliable as they can be.
And that begins with the equipment you use to service them.
Here’s the kit that keeps our roads safe for everyone:
Brake Testers
This one should be obvious — brakes are important!
But not everyone knows just how common brake problems are:
Data from the Department for Transport shows that defective brakes are the leading cause of road accidents in cases where the vehicle was a factor. (As opposed to pure human error.)
So, for any business that uses vehicles, regular and accurate brake testing should be a top priority for safety.
But for fleets and commercial workshops, it’s now even more important:
In 2023, the DVSA changed the rules around brake testing for annual tests — which means your vehicles need to pass their tests with the proper laden weight.
So, what does that mean for your tests?
It means using a brake tester with load simulation is more important than ever.
Because if the DVSA are insisting on it, you know it’s a critical factor when it comes to safety.
Our In-Ground Brake Testers can be customised with 3 different types of load simulation — Chassis, Dynamic, or Hydraulic — to help keep your vehicles ready for their tests and safe on the roads.
Headlamp Testers
This one should be no surprise either — visibility is essential for preventing accidents.
But despite that, it’s one of the most common problems out on our roads:
More than 4 million road users are driving with defective headlamps, and 12% of road users have admitted to driving with broken or damaged lights.
That number may not reflect the strict safety standards of fleets and commercial drivers. But it does give us a sense of how headlamp problems are easily missed (or easily ignored).
On top of that, it’s one of the most common ways to fail an MOT:
For a Class 7 vehicle, 24% of MOT failures come down to lamps, reflectors, and electrical equipment.
So, if you want your fleet to be as safe as possible — and give them the best chance of passing their annual tests?
You’ll need a dedicated Headlamp Tester to keep your lights in top condition. (And save money on outsourced tests along the way.)
Wheel Alignment
We’ve talked before about the hidden costs of poor wheel alignment, and how it’s often overlooked by some workshops and fleet operators.
But as well as the costs of wasted fuel, there’s a serious safety risk at play:
Poor wheel alignment causes drift in your vehicles, leading to distraction and fatigue for your drivers on the road.
And driver fatigue accounts for as much as 20% of all vehicle crashes.
So, what does that mean for your workshop or fleet?
It means that ignoring your wheel alignment has a direct effect on the safety of your vehicles.
That’s why smart workshops are investing in their own in-house equipment to put it to the test.
With an automatic piece of kit — like our Quick-Check Wheel Alignment System — you can drive your vehicles into an unmanned test, using lasers to measure their alignment and their tyre treads.
And the result?
You’ll get an instant read of a critical safety feature — one that’s easy and quick enough to carry out before a long-haul trip.
Need the Kit That Keeps Your Drivers Safe?
There’s nothing more important than the safety of your teams.
(Or the safety of the drivers they meet on the road!)
But there’s more to this equipment than just safety itself:
It’s about keeping your vehicles in top condition — so you can cut down on the costs of outsourced testing and go into every MOT with full confidence that your vehicles will pass.
So if you’re looking for an upgrade for your workshop or your fleet, take a look at our full range of commercial vehicle equipment in our online shop — or start a chat with a Totalkare expert to find out more.
This article was originally published by Totalkare Ltd.
