50 commercial vehicles dealt with for safety offences by Dorset Police
A two day operation's been held by officers and the DVSA
A campaign by Dorset Police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has been focussing on the safety of commercial vehicles - with 50 drivers dealt with in two days.
It follows concerns that these vehicles could pose a risk to other road users, if they're loaded incorrectly, with items not properly secured.
During 2024, Dorset Police received over 1,000 emergency calls relating to items being discarded from moving vehicles onto major roads throughout the county.
An operation last week (Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th January) saw officers stop vehicles near to the Ashley Heath interchange.
3\2 drivers were issued with a traffic offence report after their vehicle was found to have not been loaded securely.
Five of these offences were issued under Section 40a of the Road Traffic Act 1988 as there was an imminent serious danger to other road users.
1\3 vehicles were given a prohibition notice by either the police or the DVSA that prevented them from carrying on their journeys until action was taken due to being dangerously unsafe.
One vehicle was prohibited for breaching the drivers’ hours limits and was prevented from being driven for 25 hours.
Four vehicles were found to be overweight, four motorists had committed drivers’ hours offences and two had defective tyres.
There were also instances of drivers without licences or insurance, with one person arrested on suspicion of drug driving.
PC Chris Brolan, of the Roads Policing Team, said:
“Nationally, we have sadly seen the devastating consequences that can come after items had fallen from commercial vehicles and seriously harmed innocent road users.
“This has driven our focus and is why we have been out and about educating commercial vehicle drivers on how to keep their vehicles safe and protect the public.
“The results from the two days of targeted activity, which form part of a national campaign focusing on heavy goods vehicles, demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the roads in Dorset are safe for everyone.
“By joining up with the DVSA, we have been able to remove dangerous vehicles from the road and prevent any tragic consequences.
“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility – if you have concerns about a road user, please report them to us by visiting www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101.”
Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset David Sidwick said:
“To increase road safety we must focus not only on enforcement, but also education. This joint operation demonstrates the importance of taking action when offences are identified, while reminding drivers of their obligation to check loads are securely stored, vehicles do not exceed the legal weight limit and all components such as tyres and lightbulbs are in good order.
"I will continue to support our dedicated officers and volunteers who work relentlessly to reduce the number of people killed and injured on Dorset’s roads."