Nationwide truck controls: 591 vehicles stopped – safety first!

Nationwide truck controls: 591 vehicles stopped – safety first!

On Friday, comprehensive controls on commercial passenger and freight traffic took place in North Rhine-Westphalia. This raid, coordinated by Düsseldorf Police Headquarters, focused on nine locations, including Grevenbroich, Duisburg and Wuppertal. A total of 591 trucks were checked, with 55 vehicles being banned from continuing their journey. What was particularly alarming was the fact that eight drivers were found to have violated traffic regulations, driving times and rest times. In addition, seven drivers were under the influence of narcotics. Over 750 police forces took part in the control service, supported by various authorities such as the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility and the district governments, which underlines the great scope of the campaign. Antenne NRW reports numerous speed and distance violations that were documented, as well as deficiencies in the technical safety of the vehicles and inadequately secured cargo.

The nationwide truck inspection day was launched with the aim of preventing accidents and increasing safety on the roads. During his visits to Dortmund and Cologne, Interior Minister Herbert Reul drew attention to the problems caused by the pressure on truck drivers and non-compliance with rest times. Looking back, the situation in road traffic is anything but relaxed: In 2024, almost 48,000 trucks were checked in North Rhine-Westphalia, with over 35,000 violations of driving and rest times found. Also shocking is the number of traffic accidents involving trucks - around 4,000 - and the fact that 16 truck occupants lost their lives. IM NRW emphatically rejects concerns about these alarming figures.

Rules for truck drivers

Compliance with driving and rest times is of great importance for commercial drivers in order to ensure safety on the road. Truck drivers are allowed to drive for a maximum of 9 hours a day, although they can also drive up to 10 hours twice a week. Weekly driving times are limited to a maximum of 56 hours. After a driving time of 4.5 hours, a 45-minute break is also mandatory. Since 2006, the installation of digital control devices has been mandatory for trucks weighing over 3.5 tons to monitor compliance with these regulations. Violations of these basic rules can quickly become expensive: there is a risk of fines of up to 5,000 euros for drivers and up to 30,000 euros for companies that act negligently. ADAC provides information about the exact regulations that are binding for both drivers and companies.

The police have already announced that they will continue to carry out regular checks in the future in order to further increase road safety and prevent possible accidents. This is in the interest of all road users and shows that good skills are also required in commercial traffic in order to be safe on the road.