Dutch policemen are already famous for using non-standard vehicles such as coaches, roof boxes and campers to inspect trucks. The Germans decided to follow in the footsteps of their Dutch colleagues. A similar solution was decided by the police from the Land of Hessen.
The Hessian police use a popular delivery van – Mercedes Sprinter – for roadside checks, according to the German radio station FFH. The vehicle, due to its height, allows officers to film truck drivers in their cabs. The bus allows them to capture and punish truckers using e.g. a phone or other mobile devices while driving and those who perform other distracting activities behind the wheel. An ordinary passenger car does not give police officers such an opportunity.
The vehicle is equipped with four high-resolution cameras, three of which are located on the roof. The bus is used in a pilot project that will run for several months. If the pilot results are promising, from 2020 all Hessen police stations will receive buses as a new tool to control trucks.
You can find information about fines for using the phone or other devices behind the wheel in our article. The amount of the fine for using a phone, tablet and other such devices is currently €100.
Penalties for the use of telephones in Europe
In Germany, at the end of 2017, the rules were stricter and the number of penalties imposed was increased. Using the mobile phone while driving is punished with a fine of 100 euros, i.e. 40 euros more than before. In Sweden, in order to increase road safety, the government decided to ban all mobile phones while driving. The exception is the use of the hands-free system. The penalty for breaking the provision is 1.6 thousand. Swedish krones.
Drivers on the road in the UK are subject to a fine of up to 200 British pounds and 6 penalty points for a telephone call while driving. The second offence of this type is punished with another mandate, 12 penalty points and a court hearing.
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