Photo credits @ Mercedes Benz Trucks (illustrative purposes only)

Germany consults on banning deactivation of emergency braking systems for lorries

The German government is planning to ban the deactivation of emergency brake assistants for trucks, according to a draft bill which the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMDV) has submitted for consultation with associations.

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The move is aimed at improving road safety and reducing the number of rear-end collisions involving heavy goods vehicles. Emergency brake assistants are systems that can automatically apply the brakes of a vehicle if it detects an imminent collision. They have been proven to be very effective in reducing the number and severity of rear-end collisions, particularly those involving heavy goods vehicles.

Under the new rules, truck drivers would face a fine of 100 euros for each offence. However, there would be an exception for cases where the emergency braking system disengages due to bad weather conditions, such as heavy rain or snow. In these cases, drivers would have to be able to prove to the authorities that the system was deactivated due to bad weather, and they would not be fined, explains German transport newspaper DVZ, which was also involved in the consultation process.

The new regulation is expected to come into force next year and will apply to all lorries over 3.5 tonnes and travelling at speeds of over 30 kilometres per hour.

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