W hile the previous sections detail which documents and records you
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are required by law to produce for inspection, carrying the following extra items of could well help smooth your passage through a roadside check and allow you to get on with your job. • A properly laid-out accident report form which can be used in the event of a shunt for recording details such as position of the vehicle when the impact occurred, names and addresses of witnesses and other drivers involved and for a sketch of the accident site. Don't rely on memory, the quicker you get it down on paper the more accurate your description of the accident will be.
• A proper defect report form that allows you to easily note down a mechanical problem with the vehicle. This form should then be passed on to the appropriate person so the fault can be rectified. Ideally this form should have a duplicate so in the event of a dispute over whether a fault was reported it can be produced.
• Try and carry at least one document that shows you a r e .„, employed 1'1 r by the company such as your previous week's wages slip. A -41•Ni proper identity card with a photograph can also help. However, blanket letters stating "This driver is authorised to drive a vehicle on behalf of the company" are to be avoided.
• It's important to show the enforcement officer that you work for a professional company that has systems in place to ensure all possible compliance with the law. For example weighbridge dockets, loading instructions or work sheets. Information on the height of the vehicle should also be carried in a position where it can be seen by the driver.