On Wednesday, German traffic police officers in Erlangen conducted a routine check on an HGV driver on the A3 highway.
During the check, officers noticed a crack in the windshield that measured approximately 180 cm in length and nearly spanned the entire width of the front window. The crack, believed to have been caused by a stone impact, had been known to the driver for some time, but no repairs had been made.
The damage to the windshield posed a significant risk to the driver’s safety and could also endanger other road users, say the police. Officers say a cracked windshield can compromise the stability of the vehicle’s body and further impair a driver’s visibility while driving.
In addition to the windscreen damage, the driver and transport company were also found to be in violation of certain regulations related to driving and rest times. The driver had exceeded the permitted weekly driving hours and had taken less than the required weekly rest period.
As a result of the inspection, a security deposit of €500 was imposed on the driver on the spot, and the lorry was prohibited from continuing its journey until it underwent inspection by a qualified truck service.
