HGV Drivers Risk Jail Due To Poor Maintenance Checks - News

• Over a quarter of commercial cars, light goods vehicles and heavy goods vehicles inspected between April and June this year resulted in immediate prohibitions
• Commercial vehicle drivers and companies could be risking prison sentences due to an alarming amount of mechanical problems found during vehicle inspections
• Ensuring that vehicles are properly inspected and maintained so that they are safe for all is always a priority for TrackDays.co.uk

Over a quarter of commercial cars, light goods vehicles (LGVs) and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) failed vehicle enforcement checks between April to June this year, resulting in an increase of commercial drivers and companies running the risk of potential criminal charges.

Investigations by us here at TrackDays into the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) vehicle enforcement data*, published in October, revealed that between 25% of commercial cars and 39% of HGVs were issued with immediate prohibitions**.

This prohibition could include immediate brake, steering or tyre defects required by law to keep their vehicles safe. Furthermore, the DVSA's checks on commercial cars and LGVs highlighted that nearly 60% and 50% of its inspections discovered a mechanical issue, resulting in a form of prohibition being applied.

The condition of the vehicle's tyres was the most common prohibition defect for cars (21%) and LGVs (16%). Tyres below the legal tread limit could result in three points issued per bald tyre which could lead to drivers losing their licences and livelihoods.

With many sole traders and smaller businesses running commercial cars and LGVs, the cost of living crisis could be forcing companies to take a risk and avoid basic vehicle maintenance checks.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at the UK's leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, has commented, saying: "Inflation and rising costs are hitting everyone at the moment. Putting off simple safety inspections to try and avoid costly expenses can be a short-sighted approach taken by some."

"One in three deaths on our roads involve someone driving during the course of work, so there are many lives at stake when safety checks are cut - is that a price worth paying?"

TrackDays.co.uk Operations Manager, Dan Jones, has also reinforced the safety-first approach all their suppliers take: "Safety checks are crucial when you're providing a service to customers. We ensure we don't take risks with our tyres, brakes and steering and keep a constant eye on the conditions of all three of these areas."

"Ultimately, we must ensure we have done everything we can to provide a safe experience for our drivers and their tutors. It is not worth the risk."

At TrackDays, we offer a range of packages for motorists to experience the thrill of driving in a safe and controlled environment. Experience what it is like to drive a HGV with our Truck Driving Experiences, or you can book to drive a Truck together with a Supercar, Movie Car, Performance Car or Classic Car as part of our all new All Star Driving Experiences.

* - Source: GOV.UK

** - Prohibitions can either be immediate or delayed. Immediate likely result in the vehicle being prohibited from being driven any further and can often lead to prosecution. A delayed prohibition means drivers have 10 days to resolve the issue and must then go through another inspection.