According to a police press release that has been circulated in the German media, motorists were punished for being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as well as using their mobiles while driving. The police also clamped down on those who were not wearing their speed belts or failed to stay within the speed limit.
The worst incident reported by the police during the checks was not committed by a truck driver, but a motorist who was so drunk he struggled to get out of the car without losing his balance.
When it comes to the checks on trucks, one vehicle with worn tyres was instructed to go straight to a garage and stay under 60km/h. Officers feared at least one of the tyres was on the verge of exploding.
In addition, 5 truck drivers were caught speeding, while another 14 violated driving and rest times. There were 2 stances of inadequate load securing and 6 vehicles with defects severe enough that the vehicles were prohibited from continuing their journey.
Finally, the police also stopped 3 truck drivers from abroad who were driving their HGVs without shoes, something that Chief Inspector Matthias Auer reiterated is “not allowed”.
Driving without wearing suitable shoes is a violation of the road regulations in Germany, and some drivers have been punished for falling foul of this rule.
Last year, two truckers who drove in their socks were punished in Göttingen and Donauwörth. However, in both cases the drivers, were also punished for numerous other offences, including speeding well over the limit and committing drivers’ hours breaches.