Huge raid in Schwelm: truck driver races at 114 km/h!

Huge raid in Schwelm: truck driver races at 114 km/h!

On August 8, 2025, there was a major raid in Schwelm in the Ennepe-Ruhr district, in which a total of 47 trucks were checked. The officers were on duty from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and discovered 28 violations. These included 10 violations of the social regulations that apply to commercial road haulage, as well as 5 cases of inadequate load securing. A Polish tractor-trailer particularly caught the eye. The driver could not demonstrate a valid professional driving qualification and had significantly exceeded the speed of 114 km/h - instead of the permitted 80 km/h. This was not the first time: on July 25, 2025, the same driver was noticed with similar violations in Bavaria.

However, it was not possible for him to get away because the police ordered a security deposit of 1,300 euros. Even if the truck was unloaded and the driver was allowed to continue driving, he was prohibited from transporting goods commercially.

The importance of social regulations

Social regulations are of great importance in road transport in order to increase safety on the roads and ensure fair working conditions. These regulations specifically regulate the working, driving and rest times for drivers in commercial road haulage and passenger transport. They are intended to prevent fatigue and reduce the risk of accidents. The scope of these regulations extends to all drivers and companies operating in commercial transport.

For example, the regulations stipulate that the daily driving time should be a maximum of 9 hours, with exceptions of up to 10 hours allowed in two cases per week. Weekly driving times may not exceed 56 hours and a maximum of 90 hours is permitted within two weeks. There is a regulation for breaks that stipulates at least 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving time. Violations of these regulations can sometimes result in high fines, which can affect both drivers and companies, with serious financial consequences.

Rest time regulations

Compliance with rest times is also strictly regulated. Drivers must have at least 11 hours of rest every day, which can be reduced to 9 hours once a week. There are also guidelines for weekly rest periods, so that at least 45 hours of continuous rest must be observed after six 24-hour periods. It is important that these rest periods are spent in appropriate accommodation that provides drivers with adequate sleeping facilities.

The importance of these regulations is manifold for companies and drivers - they not only contribute to traffic safety, but also to ensuring fair working conditions. This is particularly important at times when traffic density and transport requirements are increasing.

The controls in Schwelm are a clear indication that violations of these regulations are taken seriously. The authorities, including the Federal Office for Goods Transport and the police, carry out regular checks to ensure that all regulations are being complied with. In this way, both safety on the roads and the rights of professional drivers can be sustainably safeguarded.

For more information about the specific regulations and their meaning, visit the reports from Express, mm-verkehrsleitung.de or gib-acht-im-verkehr.de.