Free driver safety checklist
Free driver safety checklist (PDF). Covers fatigue, vehicle condition, load security, PPE and safe driving practices for Australian fleets. Download free.
Updated 3 May 2026
Driver Safety Checklist
Pre-shift driver fitness, vehicle safety and journey planning record
Checklist
Exterior
Cabin
Driver Sign-Off
Signature
Print name
Date
Supervisor / Fleet Manager Review
Signature
Print name
Date
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Short answer
A driver safety checklist records, before each shift or journey, that the driver is fit to drive and that the vehicle, load, PPE and journey plan are in order, including a fatigue self-assessment and licence check. Section 19 of the model WHS Act sets the PCBU's primary duty. For vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM, the HVNL adds chain of responsibility duties in participating jurisdictions.
Checked against Model WHS Act (Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025)) on by the MapTrack templates team. How we check templates
Key takeaways
- The MapTrack driver safety checklist contains 33 checks across 2 sections. Sections covered: Exterior, Cabin.
- HVNL section 228 makes it an offence to drive a heavy vehicle on a road while impaired by fatigue or unfit to drive.
- Since 1 August 2026, alternative compliance hours under fatigue accreditation have replaced BFM and AFM; existing BFM and AFM accreditations run until they expire.
- The HVNL covers vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM, and combinations including one, in participating jurisdictions only, not WA or the NT.
- For light vehicles the checklist rests on the PCBU's primary duty under section 19 of the model WHS Act, not on the HVNL.
- The Load Restraint Guide is guidance, not law: it shows restraint methods that meet the loading performance standards.
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What is a driver safety checklist?
A driver safety checklist is a structured form used by fleet operators, transport companies and logistics businesses to verify that drivers are fit to drive and that safety controls are in place before a journey begins. The checklist covers driver fitness (fatigue, alertness, fitness for duty), vehicle condition (pre-start items, fluid levels, tyre condition), load security (restraints, weight distribution, overhang), personal protective equipment (PPE), journey planning (route, weather, rest stops) and safe driving practices (speed, following distance, mobile phone policy).
In Australia, fleet operators have obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, chain of responsibility provisions in the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and applicable state and territory road transport legislation. A driver safety checklist provides documented evidence that the organisation has taken reasonably practicable steps to ensure driver safety. It also supports fatigue management obligations by confirming the driver has had adequate rest before commencing a shift. When completed consistently, the checklist creates an audit trail that protects both the driver and the organisation in the event of an incident or regulatory investigation.
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Benefits of using this driver safety checklist
- WHS compliance: demonstrate that reasonably practicable steps have been taken to manage driver safety risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.
- Fatigue management: confirm the driver has had adequate rest, is not fatigued and is fit to drive before commencing the shift.
- Chain of responsibility: provide documented evidence that the organisation has met its HVNL obligations regarding driver fitness and vehicle safety.
- Load security: verify that cargo is properly restrained and within legal mass and dimension limits before departure.
- Incident investigation: a signed checklist provides a contemporaneous record if an incident occurs, supporting the investigation and any insurance claim.
- Driver accountability: each driver signs the checklist, confirming they have reviewed and met all safety requirements before driving.
Benefits of digitising forms in MapTrack
When you digitise vehicle checklists in MapTrack, you get:
- Field users can easily scan a QR code to complete a form on mobile. Unlimited users.
- Email the right people when a form is submitted, with an automation you set up.
- File every completed form against the asset, location or person it covers.
- Download any completed form as a PDF, with failed answers listed at the top.
- Fill in forms offline; they upload when the device is back online.
- Build conditional logic (show or hide questions based on answers).
- Take pictures or attach photos. Not possible with a paper-based form.
- Electronic signatures.
- Edit forms later without reprinting.
- Set who can view, fill in or edit forms with user roles.
- Upload a paper form (PDF, Word, Excel or a photo) and MapTrack's AI builds a digital version for you to check.
- Schedule services by odometer, engine hours or date for every vehicle.
- Keep fuel receipts and service records with each vehicle's inspections.
- Record repair costs on each work order against the vehicle.
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What to include in a driver safety checklist
This driver safety checklist covers 9 key areas:
- Driver fitness: fatigue self-assessment, hours of rest since last shift, fitness for duty declaration, any medication that may impair driving.
- Licence and authority: valid licence class for vehicle type, licence expiry date, any conditions or restrictions.
- Vehicle pre-start: walk-around check completed, lights, brakes, tyres, windscreen, mirrors, fluid levels, warning lights.
- Load security: load restraints checked, weight within legal limits, load height and overhang within limits, no loose items in cabin.
- PPE requirements: high-visibility vest, steel-cap boots, hard hat, safety glasses as required for site entry.
- Journey plan: planned route, estimated travel time, scheduled rest stops, weather and road condition check.
- Communications: mobile phone secured (hands-free or stowed), two-way radio tested, emergency contact numbers accessible.
- Emergency equipment: first aid kit present, fire extinguisher in date, warning triangle or beacon, spill kit (if carrying dangerous goods).
- Safe driving commitment: speed limits, following distance, no distracted driving, seatbelt use, fatigue break schedule.
How to use this driver safety checklist
- Complete the driver fitness section before starting the shift.: The driver records hours of rest since the last shift, confirms they are not fatigued, declares any medication use and signs the fitness-for-duty declaration. If the driver does not meet the minimum rest requirements or feels unfit, they must report this to the supervisor before driving.
- Verify licence and authority details.: Confirm the driver holds a valid licence for the vehicle class being operated. Check the licence expiry date and note any conditions. For heavy vehicles, confirm the driver holds the correct heavy vehicle licence class (HR, HC, MC or equivalent).
- Complete the vehicle pre-start walk-around check.: Walk around the vehicle and check all external and cabin items including lights, tyres, mirrors, fluid levels and warning lights. Mark each item as pass, fail or not applicable. Record any defects and report them before departure.
- Inspect load security and PPE.: Verify all cargo is properly restrained in accordance with the NTC Load Restraint Guide. Check that the total mass does not exceed the vehicle rated capacity. Confirm the driver has the required PPE for any sites they will be entering during the journey.
- Review the journey plan and sign off.: Confirm the planned route, estimated travel time and scheduled rest stops. Check weather and road conditions. Ensure emergency equipment is present and in date. Sign the checklist and hand a copy to the supervisor or fleet manager before departure.
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Get the free templateEnter your email above to download the full driver safety checklist as a PDF.Back to download formHow often should you complete this checklist?
A driver safety checklist should be completed before every shift or journey. For drivers completing multiple trips in a single day, a single checklist at the start of the shift is typically sufficient unless the vehicle changes or the load changes significantly. The fatigue self-assessment should be repeated if a driver returns to the vehicle after a prolonged break or if they feel their condition has changed. Completed checklists should be retained for a minimum of two years (or longer if required by your WHS management system or insurer) and made available for safety audits, incident investigations and regulatory inspections.
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Frequently asked questions
Applicable regulatory standards
This template is a starting point. Check the current requirements that apply to your equipment, work and location. The template alone does not establish compliance.
| Standard | Edition | Clauses this template relies on | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Work Health and Safety Bill)Primary duty of care for drivers as workers, and drivers' duty to take reasonable care. | Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025) |
| Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee) |
| Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)Vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM, participating jurisdictions only (not WA or the NT): chain of responsibility, fatigue, and work and rest hours. | Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National RegulationMaximum work and minimum rest limits, including standard hours, for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles. | Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint) |
| Queensland Government (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel), administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator |
| Load Restraint Guide 2025NHVR guide to load restraint. The 2025 edition updates the 2018 edition, which NHVR says remains current and valid for use. | Load Restraint Guide 2025 (Edition 4) | Whole instrument | National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (earlier editions published by the National Transport Commission) |
Model Work Health and Safety Act (Model Work Health and Safety Bill)
Edition: Model WHS Bill as at 5 December 2025 (includes the Model WHS Legislation Amendment (Incident Notification) 2025)
Primary duty of care for drivers as workers, and drivers' duty to take reasonable care.
- s 19: Primary duty of care: a PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others, including safe plant, systems, training and supervision.
- s 28: Workers must take reasonable care for their own and others' health and safety, and comply with reasonable instructions so far as they are reasonably able.
Safe Work Australia (drafted by the Parliamentary Counsel's Committee)
Heavy Vehicle National Law (Queensland)
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026, incorporating the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2025 (Queensland)
Vehicles over 4.5 t GVM or ATM, participating jurisdictions only (not WA or the NT): chain of responsibility, fatigue, and work and rest hours.
- s 6: Defines a heavy vehicle as a vehicle with a GVM or ATM over 4.5 tonnes, or a combination including one.
- Chapter 1A: Safety duties: the Chain of Responsibility principles, the primary duty, the executive due diligence duty and offences.
- s 26C: Primary duty: each party in the chain must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of its transport activities.
- s 228: A person must not drive a heavy vehicle on a road while impaired by fatigue or unfit to drive.
- Part 6.3: Work and rest hours options for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles: standard hours, alternative compliance hours and exemption hours.
Heavy Vehicle (Fatigue Management) National Regulation
Edition: Current as at 1 August 2026 (Queensland Legislation reprint)
Maximum work and minimum rest limits, including standard hours, for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles.
- Part 2: Maximum work and minimum rest requirements, including the standard hours for fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles.
- Schedule 1: Standard hours tables and risk categories for contraventions.
Load Restraint Guide 2025
Edition: Load Restraint Guide 2025 (Edition 4)
NHVR guide to load restraint. The 2025 edition updates the 2018 edition, which NHVR says remains current and valid for use.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (earlier editions published by the National Transport Commission)
Each source was read at its publisher and the page checked on 26 October 2026. The publisher's current text is the authority.
Driver safety checklist preview
The numbers behind this driver safety checklist
The pages below gather the figures behind this kind of check. Each figure on them carries its source and date, so you can quote it in a toolbox talk, a budget case or a board paper without chasing the original report.
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<div style="max-width:480px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,'Segoe UI',Roboto,sans-serif;border:1px solid #E5E7EB;border-radius:12px;padding:20px;background:#ffffff;">
<p style="font-size:12px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.05em;text-transform:uppercase;color:#071D49;margin:0;">Free template</p>
<p style="font-size:18px;font-weight:700;color:#071D49;margin:6px 0 0;">Driver safety checklist</p>
<ul style="margin:12px 0 0;padding-left:18px;color:#374151;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6;">
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Driver fitness: fatigue self-assessment, hours of rest since last shift, fitness for duty declaration, any medication that may impair driving.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Licence and authority: valid licence class for vehicle type, licence expiry date, any conditions or restrictions.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Vehicle pre-start: walk-around check completed, lights, brakes, tyres, windscreen, mirrors, fluid levels, warning lights.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Load security: load restraints checked, weight within legal limits, load height and overhang within limits, no loose items in cabin.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">PPE requirements: high-visibility vest, steel-cap boots, hard hat, safety glasses as required for site entry.</li>
<li style="margin:4px 0;">Journey plan: planned route, estimated travel time, scheduled rest stops, weather and road condition check.</li>
</ul>
<p style="font-size:13px;color:#6B7280;margin:14px 0 0;padding-top:12px;border-top:1px solid #E5E7EB;">Free <a href="https://www.maptrack.com/templates/driver-safety-checklist" style="color:#071D49;font-weight:600;text-decoration:none;">Driver safety checklist</a> by MapTrack</p>
</div>Free to reuse, including commercially. This template is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Copy it, adapt it, put it on your own site or in your own docs. All we ask is that you credit MapTrack with a link back to this page. The snippet above already includes that credit, so if you use it as-is you’re covered.
Cite this template
Writing about this topic? You’re welcome to quote this checklist. Here’s the wording to use so your readers can find the original.
The MapTrack driver safety checklist contains 33 checks across 2 sections.
- Short attribution
- MapTrack Driver safety checklist, https://www.maptrack.com/templates/driver-safety-checklist
- Reference list
- MapTrack. (2026). Driver safety checklist [Checklist template]. Retrieved from https://www.maptrack.com/templates/driver-safety-checklist
Free to reuse with credit under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. If you’d rather link straight to it, the page is https://www.maptrack.com/templates/driver-safety-checklist.
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