From Monday 5 March 2018 there are some important changes for HGV Drivers coming in place.
Drivers will be fined for older offences. DVSA traffic examiners will start issuing on-the-spot fines for any drivers’ hours offences committed in the last 28 days”.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) can fine drivers up to £300 if they’re caught breaking the rules. They can also be prosecuted or have their vehicle immobilised.
At the moment, DVSA can only fine drivers for offences committed that day and ongoing offences, like manipulating tachograph records, which record drivers’ hours
“From 5th March 2018 DVSA traffic examiners in a single roadside check, will issue fines for up to 5 drivers’ hours offences. It means you could be fined up to £1,500 in a single check if you’ve consistently broken the rules.
It won’t matter if the offences took place in Great Britain or elsewhere
The rules will also apply to drivers who don’t live in Great Britain. However, they’ll need to pay any fines immediately, before being allowed to continue their journey. DVSA will immobilise their vehicle until they pay.
Fines to deter drivers from not resting properly
As well as giving fines to drivers for recent offences, DVSA traffic examiners have started issuing fines to deal with HGV drivers who don’t properly rest.
Lorry, bus and coach drivers must take a 45-hour rest break at least every fortnight.
Since 1 November 2017, DVSA has started to fine drivers up to £300 if they spend their full weekly rest break in their vehicle in places where it causes a problem. For example, if a lorry driver spends their full break in the cab of their lorry in a layby.
Illegal parking, noise and litter nuisance
Spending the weekly rest break in the cab can:
· contribute to drivers not properly resting
· expose drivers to poor living conditions
Devastating consequences of driving tired
Crashes involving tired lorry drivers can be devastating. Almost a quarter of injuries in accidents involving lorries are fatal or serious.
To find out how to reduce risk of driving tired at night please follow this link
For more information and to read more about changes for HGV Drivers please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/drivers-hours-changes-to-fines-for-commercial-drivers<