Fixed Penalties

Posted: Feb 11, 2016

Professional drivers beware! If you are found to be breaking the rules at a roadside check, you could find yourself on the receiving end of a Fixed Penalty.

These tough measures will be used if enforcement officers find drivers guilty of vehicle defects or other offences such as exceeding the drivers’ hours limits or overloading. In many instances, drivers will be offered the opportunity to pay a Fixed Penalty charge rather than attending court. But responsibility for your vehicle rests ultimately with you, so you may collect penalty points on your driving licences as well as incurring financial penalties.

Playing it Safe

So how can you avoid these penalties?

VOSA estimates that over 30% of mechanical defects can be easily identified by the driver during a walkaround check, either before the day’s travel or during the course of the journey.

Items that take only minutes to check and are straightforward to correct include:

· Headlights

· Indicators

· Stop lights

· Wheel security

· Tyre condition

· Load security.

Defects that are left unchecked and unrepaired can be dangerous, both to you and to other road users, and may end up costing more than you are prepared for.