Over half of the 100 drivers stopped were found to not be “adhering to the law”
Checks of vehicles found 22 to be in an unfit and unsafe condition for use on roads(Image: pumpapictures via Getty Images)
“Drunk, speeding motorists with vehicles in poor conditions” were among the 100 freight drivers pulled over by officers across South Yorkshire, police say.
“Flaunting the laws” of driving hours and regulations were also among the offenders caught during a commercial vehicle operation conducted by South Yorkshire Police. During a two-week operation, road policing officers stopped those travelling in commercial vehicles, including vehicles below 3.5 tonnes used for work purposes and those over 3.5 tonnes, such as long and heavy goods vehicles.
One-hundred drivers were stopped and had their licences, documents, and vehicles checked and of those, two drivers were found to be over the drink drive limit, 31 were found to have exceeded their driving hours or manipulated their tachograph (a device used to monitor a driver’s hours) and 24 were found committing other fatal four offences, including speeding, using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.
Checks of vehicles found 22 to be in an unfit and unsafe condition for use on roads. The vehicles were prohibited from being driven until repairs had been made. Leading the work on the operation, roads policing sergeant Brandon Brown said: “These operations are not about targeting those who use the road network for working, or who drive good vehicles, and they are not about income generation, which we hear frequently.
“They are about creating safer roads and ultimately saving lives. Drivers who fail to adhere to the laws of the road pose a risk to themselves and other road users and it won’t be accepted.
“We are here to educate and enforce and we make no apologies for trying to ensure everyone returns home from their journey. Simple checks of your vehicle, and responsible driving can be the difference between life and death. Please do your part.”
Of those stopped, 42 were under 3.5 tonnes, and 58 were over 3.5 tonnes, with 53 being registered as foreign vehicles. A spokesperson from South Yorkshire Police explained that these stop operations are part of “daily business” and “their commitment” to creating safer roads for everyone.
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