Driver took breaks at wrong time
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• A Bishop Auckland lorry driver has had his
HGV licence suspended for eight days after twice exceeding the speed limit and committing three 4.5-hour driving offences. Andrew Oliver, of Westgate, Bishop Auckland, told North
Eastern Deputy Traffic Commissioner Brian Horner that the speeding offences, committed in 1996, had arisen out of inexperience. Horner commented that TCs take a serious view of speeding offences as HGVs could be lethal in the wrong hands. Asked about the 4.5-hour offences committed in July and August 1997, Oliver said the main problem was that he had been taking his breaks at the wrong times. The traffic examiner had explained the situation to him and he now carried a stopwatch to keep track of his hours and there had been no problems since. He was surprised he had had no training on tachographs after passing his Class 1 test.
The offences had come to light in a Ministry spot check. His boss had not been very happy as it counted against his 0licence and the company now gave its drivers training. The Deputy IC said he took an equally serious view of such offences as drivers who exceeded their hours were a danger to the public. He warned Oliver that a much more serious view would be taken of any further offences.