An HGV carrying 24 tons of soft drinks was stopped by German police officers and a technician from the Heavy Goods Vehicle Control Unit of the ZVD Rheinpfalz (Police Directorate of Neustadt) at the Dannstadt West service station on Thursday afternoon, 20 April 2023.
After a routine check, the officers discovered that something was wrong with the brakes. It was soon found out that the vehicle, which was en route to Stuttgart, had a disconnected brake on the trailer, resulting in compromised braking capabilities. The anti-lock braking system would not have been able to regulate safely in an emergency, and one-sided braking could have resulted.
The technician was able to determine through diagnostic equipment that this manipulation had been in place long before the start of the journey. The driver must have covered almost 4,000 km with the lorry, which required urgent brake repairs.
The driver admitted to the offence, and both he and the company will face substantial fines. The regulatory authorities of the sending state will be informed of the violation.
The police intend to confiscate the entire sum gained from the transport since the company prioritized its profit over road safety. “Endangering others should not be rewarded, ” said the police, commenting on the incident.