If your fleet is still relying on paper walkaround check sheets in 2025, you’re not alone.
But you may be running a silent risk.
While paper forms have been standard for decades, they’re becoming outdated fast. Lost records, missed defects, delayed reporting… These aren’t just annoying admin issues. They’re real threats to your compliance, your driver's safety, and your O-Licence.
The reality? Regulators expect more. Operators need better oversight. And with technology now making it easier to track inspections, flag defects, and prove compliance in real-time, paper-based systems are quickly becoming a liability.
In this article, we’ll break down the key differences between paper and digital daily check systems, show why operators are making the switch, and help you decide what’s right for your fleet.
Let’s get into it.
The Trouble with Paper-Based Daily Checks
Paper walkaround check sheets might feel familiar, but they introduce a host of problems that modern fleets can’t afford to ignore.
1. Poor Visibility and No Central Oversight
With paper, once the sheet is filled out, it’s filed away — often physically. There’s no central dashboard, no live reporting, and no way to know if today’s checks were done properly without manually chasing them down. If a DVSA audit lands tomorrow, you’re left scrambling through folders instead of pulling up a report in seconds.
2. High Risk of Lost, Damaged, or Forged Forms
Paper checklists are easy to misplace, damage, or in the worst case, fake. Without timestamps or real-time logs, it’s impossible to verify whether a check was carried out properly or ticked off in the yard an hour later.
This not only puts vehicles at risk but also exposes your operation to serious compliance breaches.
3. Slow Defect Reporting = Delayed Repairs
If a driver spots an issue on paper, that form usually travels through two or three desks before it reaches your maintenance team. Meanwhile, that same vehicle could still be out on the road — faulty lights, brakes, or tyres and all. That’s not just a safety concern, it’s a legal one.
4. No Proof of Real-Time Compliance
With paper, you can’t show the DVSA when the check was done, who did it, or how defects were escalated. If regulators come calling, you need more than a box-ticked sheet — you need traceability.
Paper-based checks might be “how it’s always been done” but that’s exactly the problem.
Ready for the digital alternative? Let’s explore how modern fleets are solving these issues with the power of fleet maintenance software.
What the DVSA (and Your O-Licence) Actually Require
Daily walkaround checks aren’t optional, they’re a legal obligation under both UK and Irish regulations. As an operator, it’s your responsibility to ensure that every vehicle is inspected before use and that accurate records are maintained.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) makes this clear in its Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness.
Operators must have systems in place to:
Ensure checks are carried out before a vehicle is driven
Record any defects clearly and promptly
Take immediate action on safety-related issues
Keep inspection records that are accessible and up to date
Failure to meet these standards can result in anything from penalty points and fines to the suspension or revocation of your O-Licence.
This threatens the very foundation of your business and highlights the pressing need for fleet management software.
Too often, paper-based systems fall short of these expectations. They leave gaps, delays, and uncertainty. All of which can come back to haunt you during a roadside stop or compliance review.
Let’s now look at how a digital system makes fleet management so much easier.
The Digital Advantage: Smarter Daily Checks
Digital walkaround check apps are transforming how fleet operators handle daily inspections. Getting rid of outdated, paper-based systems for real-time visibility, instant reporting, and audit-proof records.
Here’s how switching to digital solves the biggest issues paper systems create:
Real-Time Proof of Compliance
Every check is automatically logged with a timestamp, vehicle ID, and driver ID. That means you can instantly prove when a check was done, by whom, and on which vehicle — with no room for shortcuts or disputes.
Instant Defect Alerts
Drivers can report faults from their phone the moment they spot them — with photos, notes, and severity levels. That information is sent directly to your maintenance dashboard, so repairs are fast-tracked and unsafe vehicles stay off the road.
No More Paperwork (Literally)
Say goodbye to clipboards, forms, and filing cabinets. Everything is stored securely in the fleet maintenance software making it accessible for compliance managers, transport teams, and auditors from any device, anywhere.
Live Oversight Across Your Entire Fleet
Whether you manage 5 vehicles or 500, a digital system gives you a central view of which checks are complete, which vehicles are roadworthy, and which ones need attention — across every depot and driver.
Built for DVSA & DVA Compliance
The best systems (like Fleet Fixation’s Driver App) are built to mirror DVSA standards, helping ensure that your inspection routine matches exactly what inspectors expect.
Paper-based checks can’t do this. But digital tools can — and they’re not just for enterprise fleets. Whether you operate 20 vehicles or 200, the right system can make compliance easier, safer, and faster.
Real-World Scenario – One Missed Check, One Major Problem
Let’s say a driver skips their walkaround check on a rainy Monday morning. The brakes seem fine, and they’re under pressure to hit the road.
But what they didn’t catch?
A slow air leak in the braking system — one that would’ve been obvious with a proper check.
Later that day, the driver rear-ends a vehicle at a roundabout. No serious injuries, but the accident investigation shows the defect should’ve been spotted during the pre-use inspection.
The result?
The driver faces penalty points
The vehicle is impounded for investigation
Your company is called to a DVSA Public Inquiry
You can’t provide digital proof that a check was done
Your O-Licence is under threat
And worst of all? It could’ve been avoided with the right system in place.
Incidents like this aren’t just about fines or reputation — they’re about risking your entire operation. One missed step can put everything on the line.
See the Smarter Way to Stay Compliant
Don’t let paperwork put your fleet at risk.
With Fleet Fixation’s Digital Walkaround App, you get:
Real-time visibility into every vehicle check
Instant defect alerts to keep unsafe vehicles off the road
Secure, DVSA-compliant records ready for audit — any time
Whether you manage 10 vehicles or 200, our app is built to simplify inspections, reduce admin, and protect your O-Licence.
No pressure. No commitment. Just a smarter way to keep your fleet safe and compliant.