Driver fined for missing breaks
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. Taking insufficient . breaks after 4.5 hours' driving has cost a Cheshire driver 1370 in fines and costs. John Loverseed, of Parkfield Road, Northwich, failed to appear before the Chester magistrates to answer 10 4.5hour driving charges; he was convicted in his absence.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, Keith Henry said that a 7.5-tonner being driven by LOVOPS8041 for Frank Roberts & Son was stopped in a check on the 46 at Derby Dale. An examination of the tachograph charts revealed seven occa
sions when he had driven for more than 4.5 hours without taking the required 45min break. When questioned by the traffic examiner, Loverseed declined to comment.
A second traffic examiner visited the company's Northwith premises and took more of Loversead's other tachograph charts. These revealed that ha had driven for 41r 45min without any break; for 41r 51min with only a 30min break; and for 5hr 20min with only a 30min break.
Henry told the court that Loverseed had said his first offence had been due to a misunderstanding about what breaks he could take. As far as the other two offences were concerned, Loversaed had said he had thought he had taken a 15min break.
He had not done it deliberately; he had just been rushing around and had forgotten to take his breaks.
The magistrates fined Loverseed £300 on the first offence with 170 costs.