Truckmobility.info — 2024-08-02
Land transportation
A recent Europe-wide safety operation has revealed concerning figures about the adherence to EU regulations governing work and rest times among truck drivers. The results, released as part of the latest ROADPOL Truck & Bus Operation, show that 43% of truck drivers in Belgium and 31% in Austria were found to be violating these critical safety standards.
This pan-European enforcement effort underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring compliance with regulations designed to enhance road safety and protect both drivers and the general public.
The Scope of the Roadside checks
The Europe-wide control operation took place in May and involved 18 ROADPOL member countries. A staggering number of inspections were conducted during this week-long event, focusing on both commercial goods and passenger transport:
Violations Found
The operation uncovered a total of 78,926 violations, broken down as follows:
The overall complaint rate stood at 23.43% for freight transport and 6.43% for buses. This indicates that nearly 1 in 4 trucks inspected had some form of violation.
For truck drivers, the most common infractions included
For bus drivers, typical violations were related to
Work and Rest Time Violations
A total of more than 8000 drivers were found to be violating EU social regulations. This means they drove for longer periods than allowed without taking the necessary breaks. The average violation rate for work and rest time regulations was 3.4% across all inspections. However, this rate varied significantly between EU member states:
These figures highlight a stark contrast in compliance levels across Europe, suggesting a need for more consistent enforcement and driver education in certain regions.
Tachograph Manipulation
The operation also revealed widespread issues with tachograph usage:
Tachographs are crucial for monitoring driving hours and ensuring drivers take required rest breaks. Mismanagement or tampering with these devices not only breaches regulations but poses significant safety risks on the roads.
Substance Abuse Among Drivers
In addition to regulatory violations, the operation identified worrying cases of substance abuse:
These offenses represent serious safety concerns and underscore the necessity for ongoing vigilance and enforcement to deter such behaviour on the roads.
Future Actions
The findings from this ROADPOL operation highlight persistent challenges in enforcing EU regulations on work and rest times across Europe. The significant disparities in compliance rates among different countries suggest a need for targeted efforts to improve adherence to these crucial safety standards.
The ROADPOL operation serves as a reminder of the importance of cross-border cooperation in tackling road safety challenges. By sharing best practices and coordinating efforts, Member States can work towards achieving more consistent compliance and ultimately reducing the risk of accidents on Europe’s roads.
The next ROADPOL operation Truck & Bus will take place from 11th to 17th November 2024.