Hands off the wheel?
Posted by rrowlands@descartes.com on 18th May 2022
Here’s another scenario to add to the list of ‘What not to do when driving!’.
Thames Valley Police reported they pulled over a HGV driver after he was caught driving with no hands on the wheel. The d
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Are HGV roadside safety inspections becoming a rarity?
Posted by AndrewT on 21st Jan 2022
According to the union Unite driver vehicle safety checks are “vanishingly rare” on UK roads. A freedom of information request showed there were 114,653 on-the-spot inspections in 2020/21 to check ro
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Falling asleep at the wheel
Posted by AndrewT on 26th Nov 2021
Shocking footage of a driver falling asleep at the wheel of a HGV travelling on the M5 in November was recently posted on YouTube. Driver fatigue is a common factor in incidents involving HGV's and w
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Over 50% of HGV drivers say they don't conduct vehicle safety checks
Posted by AndrewT on 25th Oct 2021
According to research published in HGV UK, the majority of HGV drivers say they do not carry out vehicle safety checks.
Ensuring daily walkaround checks happen is part of the commitment an HGV fleet
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This is what can happen when you use a mobile phone whilst driving
Posted by AndrewT on 9th Aug 2021
A HGV driver was jailed in July for three and half years after colliding with another vehicle while using a mobile phone. The vehicle was a security van that had broken down in lane one of the A27 dua
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Are your loads secure?
Posted by AndrewT on 6th Jul 2021
As road users we usually focus on spotting potential hazards that are in front of us. However, for HGVs it can be the heavy load behind the driver that presents the biggest hazard. A HGV with a 40 to
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HGV driver eating out of a bowl at the wheel
Posted by AndrewT on 27th Apr 2021
A HGV driver was caught by an undercover police officer eating from a bowl whilst driving on the M1. The driver was stopped after he was spotted with no hands on the steering wheel.
Leicestershire Po
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DVSA target vans for mechanical defects
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Mar 2021
As reported in Commercial Motor a recent road safety operation in the Midlands found 24 vans with mechanical defects and the DVSA have said it will continue to target LCV drivers. The recent operatio
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HGV driver filmed holding a phone to each ear
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Feb 2021
A HGV driver was filmed by the police holding a mobile phone to each ear on the M4 motorway whilst steering with his elbows. The footage was captured from the cab of a police lorry driving alongside t
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Banned for 8 years for pretending to have a Transport Manager
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Sep 2018
The Office of the Traffic Commissioner revealed that a coach operator who failed to tell them that they didn’t have a Transport manager was banned from running vehicles.
The absence of a Transport Ma
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The cost of running un-roadworthy vehicles
Posted by AndrewT on 9th Feb 2017
West Midlands Traffic Commissioner Nick Denton, banned a plant and tool hire firm from operating HGVs for 12 months after describing its vehicle maintenance procedures as one of the worst he had seen.
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New measures to stop drivers using their mobile phones will have serious consequences for HGV drivers
Posted by AndrewT on 24th Sep 2015
Most people should be aware that using a mobile phone or any handheld device while driving is a criminal offence. However, it is surprising how many people still do it. In 2014 the fixed penalty was i
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82% unaware of corporate manslaughter legislation
Posted by AndrewT on 26th Jun 2015
Van fleet operators need to be made more aware of corporate manslaughter legislation and how it could apply if the working condition of their vehicles were suspect or their drivers’ did not hold a val
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Accidents on Motorways involving foreign HGVs up 14%
Posted by AndrewT on 8th May 2015
Collisions on motorways involving foreign HGVs have increased 14% since 2012 according to statistics from Accident Exchange.
The M25 had more foreign HGV accidents than any other road in the UK, hard
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New DVSA Guide to Load Security
Posted by AndrewT on 22nd Apr 2015
Load security should be of primary concern for all commercial road transport operators. Effective load securing prevents goods from falling onto roads and ensures that the goods arrive undamaged.
Thi
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Undercover police HGV film HGV driver offences
Posted by AndrewT on 9th Apr 2015
North Yorkshire Police officers driving an un-liveried HGV drove alongside HGVs and found that almost ten per cent of the HGV drivers observed were committing offences.
86 offences were recorded agai
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Do we need more Police Officers dedicated to Traffic enforcement?
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Feb 2015
According to the RAC the number of Police Officers dedicated to enforcing traffic offences in England and Wales has been cut by 1,279 (23%) in the last five years. 43 forces reduced their Traffic Off
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HGV safety this winter
Posted by AndrewT on 5th Dec 2014
Every winter, hundreds accidents involving Heavy Good Vehicles were due to snow and ice.
Statistics, from the Department for Transport, show the risks of adverse weather conditions for HGV fleets in t
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The dangers of untreated Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS)
Posted by AndrewT on 28th Nov 2014
According to research published earlier in 2014 Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) affects 5% of the population, but is often undiagnosed. Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a severe form of slee
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Campaign for tougher sentences wins MP an award – What does this mean for professional drivers?
Posted by AndrewT on 16th May 2014
Richard Graham, MP was given a national road safety award by the charity Brake and Direct Line Group for his campaign for tougher sentences for disqualified, unlicensed and uninsured drivers that kill
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Illegal, annoying and dangerous – but we do it anyway!
Posted by AndrewT on 24th Feb 2014
According to research conducted for Halfords, 32% of motorists admit to making or receiving a call on a hand-held phone whilst driving. This is despite the fact that 82% knew it was illegal. 78% had
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VOSA to step up targeted checks?
Posted by AndrewT on 16th Jul 2013
With the merger with the Driving Standards Agency ahead and recent comments from the Senior Traffic Commissioner it is interesting times for VOSA. Opinion on the merger with DSA appears to be split 50
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3 points and a fine for sneezing?
Posted by AndrewT on 19th Feb 2013
Driving with a cold or flu could be far more dangerous than you realise, accounting for 2,500 accidents per week in the winter months.
According to experts if you have a stuffy head, feel groggy or s
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Have your say on speed limits for HGVs
Posted by AndrewT on 13th Nov 2012
The maximum speed limit for HGVs over 7.5 tonnes on single carriageway roads is currently 40 miles per hour. Whilst the speed limit for smaller HGVs between 3.5 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes is 50 mph. In N
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Hands free compliance - but is it safe?
Posted by AndrewT on 16th Oct 2012
Drivers making telephone calls using a hands-free kit are just as distracted as those on handheld devices according to research recently conducted by Which?
Unsurprisingly they found that texting is f
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Want to be left alone by VOSA? – IRTE Conference 13 Sept 2012
Posted by AndrewT on 26th Sep 2012
The IRTE Conference on 13 September 2012 at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon focused on strategies for cost effective fleet management and operations.
The conference included some fantastic speakers
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Will HGV sensors protect cyclists?
Posted by AndrewT on 31st Jul 2012
Recently an influential group of MPs said hauliers should be encouraged to fit new sensors to their fleet to protect cyclists. The Transport Select Committee (TSC) described a 15% rise in cyclist deat
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Motorway madness for UK Hauliers?
Posted by AndrewT on 24th Jul 2012
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) has recently commented that the Government's desire to extract the maximum capacity from the motorway network at the lowest possible cost could jeopardise road
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Sat Nav – A help or hindrance for professional drivers?
Posted by AndrewT on 7th Jun 2012
New research from Lancaster University and Royal Holloway, University of London, reveal using satellite navigation systems can reduce drivers’ performance. A series of experiments were conducted where
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