Advancements in Detecting Tachograph Offences

Recently the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced that they have begun trialling a new form of remote tachograph sensing equipment across Britain. This will make it easier for DVSA to find out which drivers are breaking the drivers’ hours rules.

Broadly drivers’ hours rules place a limit of 9 hours daily for driving, with the exception that it can be increased to 10 hours twice a week. They also states that a 45-minute break must be taken after 4.5 hours of driving. These rules are in place in order to protect both the driver’s health as well as other drivers since a tired driver could lose concentration or fall asleep at the wheel presenting a danger to other drivers on the road.

Tachographs record information about a driver’s driving time, speed and distance. Using the new remote tachograph sensing equipment, the DVSA will be able to determine whether a smart card is inserted, if it is calibrated properly and whether it has been tampered with.

Employers have several responsibilities when it comes to ensuring that their employees are following drivers’ hours rules.  Employers are responsible for keeping drivers’ hours records for at least a year, checking drivers’ hours records and data and being able show records from the last 12 months. If an employer is not able to do this and an employee is caught breaking drivers’ hours rules, this could result in legal consequences for the employer. Employers also must ensure that risks are minimalised for their employees when they are driving. Part of this means assessing the risks on the route the employee’s route which includes ensuring that the driver will be able to complete their route within safe driving times according to the drivers’ hours rules.

Information about drivers’ hours for employers can be found on the Gov.Uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/drivers-hours/rules-for-employers