DVSA warns drivers face being banned from road 'if they drive too much'

Drivers risk massive fines if they drive too much as DVSA Enforcement issues a warning to motorists. Road users across Birmingham and beyond have been warned not to exceed their time spent on the road or they could face enormous fines.

The DVSA Enforcement account frequently posts about catching drivers breaking road rules. Most recently, an HGV driver has pleaded guilty to circumventing rules around the amount of time drivers spend on the road after he was found to be using two digital driver tachograph cards on 23 occasions.

HGV driving hours in the UK directly reflect the EU driving hour laws, with very close transport and supply chain channels, this makes it easier for drivers to know whether they’re complying with legislation in the country they’re driving in.

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The daily driving limit is set at 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice a week. The laws around how many hours someone can operate a heavy goods vehicle in a 24-hour period states an HGV driver must rest for a minimum of nine hours within a 24-hour period up to three times a week.

This gives drivers flexibility to work three 15-hour days within the same week. HGV driver’s hours are limited to 56 hours per week, and the fortnightly limit is 90 hours. However, the rules do become more complex than restricted hours per week.

Drivers are obliged to take regular, uninterrupted breaks to rest and be ready to drive with full concentration for the safety of themselves and other drivers on the road. The DVSA Enforcement social media account issued a warning to drivers with the hashtags "#TiredDriversKill" and "#StayLegal".

The aforementioned motorist was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court and given a suspended 12-month prison sentence, made to do 250 hours of unpaid work, 15 rehabilitation days and £2,365 in costs. The operator also pleaded guilty to "permitting a driver to create false records".

This saw them hit with a £2,500 fine per offence, in addition to prosecution costs.