Driving while tired is a big problem. It dulls reaction times, impairs judgement and can make you less coordinated. That's why we take drivers' hours offences so seriously.
Since 5 March 2018, we’ve been handing out fines for drivers’ hours offences committed within the previous 28 days.
To mark the first anniversary, I thought I'd tell you what we’ve done, what effect it’s had, and why it’s better for everyone.
What changed, exactly?
From 5 March 2018, DVSA enforcement staff have been able to issue fines as much as £300 each for up to 5 drivers' hours offences committed in the previous 28 days.
That could mean a total fine of as much as £1,500 in one stop for particularly bad offenders.
Before, our examiners could only issue roadside fines for ongoing drivers’ hours offences that were still happening at the time of the check. If they saw any offences before that, they needed to take the driver to court to fine them. It was more difficult and expensive to get a non-UK driver along to these court hearings than a British driver, which posed a real problem.
To help us solve this problem, our powers were changed to allow us to take tougher action against all dangerous drivers exceeding their hours.
Bigger net, more fish
Unsurprisingly, being able to cast a wider net has meant we've caught more offences.
In the year before we brought in these changes, we:
- performed 80,418 roadside enforcement encounters involving a drivers' hours check
- issued 4,236 fixed penalties for drivers’ hours offences totalling £478,400
But in the first year since we brought the changes, in, we’ve:
- performed 73,147 roadside enforcement encounters involving a drivers' hours check
- issued 19,723 fixed penalties for drivers' hours offences totalling £3,653,450
Those are massive increases. The number of fixed penalties we’ve issued has increased by 465%, and the amount of fines has gone up by 763%.
To be clear, this isn’t about raising money - all money received from fixed penalties goes to the Treasury. We want to make sure it doesn't pay to break drivers’ hours rules. Being able to issue more fines for more offences sends a clear message – take your breaks.
Why it matters
These stats are all very well and good, but they aren't an end in themselves. As I said, we're doing this to try and make the roads safer.
Drivers’ hours offences result in tired drivers, and tired drivers are very dangerous.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) say that driving while tired may be responsible for 1 in 5 of all accidents and up to a quarter of serious and fatal crashes. And about 40% of sleep-related accidents involve commercial vehicles, according to Think!
Crashes involving tired lorry drivers can be particularly devastating. Almost a quarter of injuries caused by accidents involving lorries are fatal or serious, compared to 1 in 8 for crashes as a whole.
That's the main reason we decided to take even tougher action against tired drivers who exceed their drivers' hours.
Making it better for you
You might be sitting there thinking "that's all very well and good, but how does it make things better for me?"
Well, how much good it does you depends on how often you or your drivers break drivers' hours rules. This is because drivers and operators who flout the rules don't do it to endanger other road users – they often do it to gain a competitive advantage.
Breaking the rules means they can make deliveries quicker. This can help them win contracts by pledging to delivery times they wouldn't otherwise be able to meet. We're making it fairer for honest operators by making the cost of breaking the rules outweigh the perceived benefits.
Read our drivers' hours rules and guidance for more information
77 comments
Comment by Daniel Jimack posted on
Time & time again i hear about the safety of motorists & in the bus & coach industry the safety of the passengers. I am a coach driver who regularly drives school groups to Europe. Often the journey can take up to 21 hours. We are expected to share a room in a hotel e.g in Dover before starting this journey. Since 2000 when i started doing this i found invariably the other driver snored loudly causing me to have very little sleep before undertaking the journey with a coach with up to 75 children. The return journey was the same as most School holiday companies make you share a room! I have voiced my concerns countless times but have come to realise that the children's safety is not the most important thing but the profit of the holiday company (not the coach company) is & it is only a matter of time before a child dies for this reason. I wonder if the parents know about this serious problem??
Comment by S. White posted on
As an operator, I applaud this initiative. I also believe that it should be extended to include all the vans and their drivers who are clearly in breach of various regulations. To rely on DCPC training is however not sufficient. There needs to be a scheme something along the lines of the awareness courses for drink driving and speeding offences, and I'll go as far to say that a mandatory annual refresher course might be appropriate. I also believe as one of the previous writers mentioned, that the enforcement authorities need to be out 24/7, not just during office hours. I am concerned at how revenue raised from these offences will be spent by the treasury. I think it should be ploughed back into education and information, and possibly into road maintenance.
Comment by susan irving posted on
Oh yes tired drivers are dangerous ! Then what about providing somewhere they can take a proper rest, get some decent food and use a bathroom. Every week new signs saying no HGV parking appear in places where wagons have parked for years.Where exactly are they supposed to get this rest that you continually vent about? Most truck drivers are decent hard working individuals just out to make a living , working away from home in primitive working conditions which would not be allowed in any other industry.The provision for these hard working individuals is nothing short of a national disgrace.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Susan,
Lorry parking is a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT). Please see the below comment for more information:
https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/2019/03/20/historical-drivers-hours-offences-1-year-on/#comment-18711
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Kevin Broome posted on
Spot on Susan not only that but the hours you can work have been increased over the years and daily rest has decreased not a benefit for the driver.
Comment by Charlie posted on
Will you be able to issue historic fines after a no deal brexit? Will the UK be on EU drivers hours regs or AETR?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Charlie,
What happens with fixed penalties for drivers' hours offences after Brexit will depend on the nature of any deal reached.
For more information, visit the Brexit guidance page on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/brexit
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Paul Lee posted on
As an lgv driver for more years than l can remember, l get depressed reading some of these comments. The bottom line is, as always, if you don't break the law, you have nothing to worry about. You can't change it so suck it up and do it right. Yes it is complicated if you factor in the WTD as well, but we all have a vocational licence which means we are, or should be, professional. We should of that and act accordingly.
Paul.
Comment by Me posted on
About time you made ALL commercial vehicles(if its hauling goods for hire or reward 1.5 tone up) have a tacho and adhere to drivers hours rules, then you could up your measly 3.6mil to 5 or maybe 12mill
Comment by William posted on
When a driver is stopped and has hours infringements, is the fine that is levied at him also issued to the operator? reason being that surely they have the same responsibility and have to be culpable for their employees actions. Just signing for infringements and acknowledging them is not good enough , and what I also want to know is that if driving over hours and not having sufficent breaks
Is dangerous and your deterrent is fining them, then it does look like a money making exercise. Why are there not statutory fines based on the severity coupled with penalty points
Like we have for speeding or using phones etc. The fear of loosing your licence is a much greater deterrent than adding coffers to the Government who waste it on buying
Non existant ships to cross the channel, and the millions wasted every day on hair brained ideas.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello William,
The fines are levied against the driver as they are the one with ultimate responsibility for their own drivers’ hours, notwithstanding any pressure put on them by employers. Our new roadside payments app allows drivers to nominate someone else, like their employer, to pay fines.
I would also point out that fixed penalties are graduated based on how serious the offence is. In other words, less serious breaches attract smaller fines. DVSA can also prohibit a driver from continuing a journey if a drivers’ hours offence is ongoing, as the driver is not considered safe to continue driving.
DVSA regularly conducts site visits at operators' premises and acts on intelligence it receives about non-compliance. If DVSA finds evidence that an operator is encouraging its drivers to break of drivers’ hours rules, or otherwise failing to adequately monitor its employees’ drivers’ hours, it can investigate the operator and take further action.
This may include taking them to court or referring them to the Traffic Commissioner, who have the power to curtail or revoke an operator’s licence.Persistent breaches of drivers’ hours may also land a driver with a referral to the traffic commissioner, who also have the power to suspend a driver’s commercial licence for lengthy periods.
DVSA does not have the power to revoke licences itself or put points on a licence, however.
I hope that answers your question,
Chris
Comment by H Shore posted on
How many off the drivers that you fine are foreign driving foreign trucks I see them all the time overtaking in the outside lane and lots off them are involved in crashes on the motorway also do foreign truck have to pay road tolls in this country and what happens if they dont
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi
We publish enforcement stats on GOV.UK with a breakdown by vehicle type, and by UK and non-UK. Here’s a link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-enforcement-data-for-great-britain
We will be updating this in due course with stats for 2017/18.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Howard Shore posted on
Thanks fo the reply Chris but what happens to foreign drivers off foreign trucks that dont pay the £10 a day road tax and how many don't pay if you go to Germany you can't get past the first paypoint before the bag catch up with you and fine you a horrific amount
Comment by Anthony Martin posted on
To be fair I understand where the DVSA is coming from BUT they never take into account that you’ve been stuck in a logjam for 3 hoursand still fine you for 'breaching' hours yet what can you do if you’re stuck and your time runs out? Just stop where you are even if its on a motorway?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Anthony,
We’re aware that traffic delays can cause a driver to exceed their hours. Unforeseen circumstances, like traffic jams, are accounted for in the drivers' hours regulations, and drivers should make a note of these delays in their record at the time.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Andrew Reilly posted on
Can you define the term 'taking a break' in this context?
I'm aware of one organisation which has their drivers conducting heavy manual tasks on client premises while on their mandatory driving break.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Andrew,
A break is a period of time which must be used exclusively for recuperation where the driver cannot undertake any other work or driving. During a rest period a driver must be able to freely dispose of their time and as such again cannot undertake any work relating to their occupation. Any work carried out away from a vehicle, such as heavy manual task, should be recorded as ‘other work’ and not as a rest or break.
Can you please provide us with more information about this organisation?
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by J. Derrick posted on
Interesting article, are you able to say what percentage of these offences are from non - UK registered vehicles?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
We publish enforcement stats on GOV.UK with a breakdown by vehicle type, and by UK and non-UK. Here’s a link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-enforcement-data-for-great-britain
We will be updating this in due course with stats for 2017/18.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Ian allen posted on
If the company's did not pressure the drivers to work all god's hours , and push them to the limit , there won't a problem , the haulage industry is in a mess ?. And it's all rules after rules on the drivers , drivers cps ? . No other industrie is run on time , 3 minutes from to your drop off and you out of time ,so 45 minutes lol . You in a office and it's like I'll just finish this work off take me 5 minutes then I'll have my break , and the company you work for won't back you up if you prosecuted, they tell you do this do that , you do it and you are pulled over , and they like we never told him do that , and the driver get the hit. All pressure and stress for the drivers .been in this industry for 35 years , if I had my time again no way would I do it , and would not tell anyone to do it . Sorry that is my say !
Comment by P Bettis posted on
Totally agree
Need to start at the base of the issue
The operators
Who just keep pushing
More random checks of all operations
The way they put the runs together
How they measure distance
I known of one who uses straight lines
It is HGV not a Helicopter
Remember under the O licence
They are not to put the driver under
Pressure which could lead to him
Breaking the law
This as become laughable
This is why Drivers and other believe
It just become another why of collecting taxes
The job you staff do on the road is vital
But it’s needed off road as well
At the very beginning of the problem
Manifest should be now a standard
Format and must be carried by the
Driver so they could be checked
To see if the run is able to be done at a steady and safe pace within the law
And produced and checked at the road side every time.
If a company fails to issue then a fine to the company not the driver
Once they start to get fined they make wake up
Comment by David Shackleton posted on
I don't know why anyone still drives HGVs for the pittance the industry pays and the grief they get trying to stay within the rules. Having a system allowing up to a 15 hour shift operating heavy machinery and then a 9 hr break beggars belief. No other workers would stand for it. Try asking a rep to kip in their company car in a lay-by after a shift like that.
Comment by Fred Dibnah posted on
With such a significant increase in fines issued, surely more enforcement staff can be recruited and a greater presence on our roads. At least until standards are raised.
Comment by Robert Rant posted on
You sound exactly like a politition Chris never giving a straight answer only beating around the bush.Have you ever driven a lorry in England? Hours of holdups,laybyes closed,no toilets,cafes with no access to HGVs there used to be 1000s, I pulled into Fleet Services last year only to find there was no HGV parking because they are building a motel in the HGV park total chaos it took 20min to get out. Do i park on the hard shoulder, no because somebody in government thought it was a good idea to turn this road into a super motorway now im due a rest next services on A303 2parking spaces for HGVs queu up in road keep moving up(illegal) till a space for me.Go over the Chanel to France parking every 15 kms every 40kms or so services excellent toilets and showers free overnight parking roads as smooth as billiard tables and no road tax!! Where is this LEVEL PLAYING FIELD you keep on about even our roads are not level
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Robert,
Lorry parking is a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT). Please see the below comment for more information:
https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/2019/03/20/historical-drivers-hours-offences-1-year-on/#comment-18711
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Conrad Culverhouse posted on
If you do the sums it appears that under old system your average fine came to approx £112 per offence. This rises substantially to £185 per offence under your revised system.
Can you explain the apparent dramatic increase in fine levels when taken on the value of average individual cases?
I would imagine that as highway patrol vehicles will now be making stops on DVSA's behalf, revenue levels are likely to increase significantly still.
Thank you for the good work you do though.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello Conrad,
DVSA is now able to issued fixed penalties of up to £300 for up to 5 historical drivers' hours offences. Our policy is that, if there are more than 5 offences, we issue fixed penalties for the 5 most serious offences.
So if we find 6 drivers' hours offences within the previous 28 days, we'll issue fixed penalties for the 5 most serious ones.
This accounts for the increase in the average fine issued, as we're better able to target more serious offences.
I hope that answers your question.
Chris
Comment by Steven posted on
Hello,
There should be more flexibility in the laws due to constant bottle necks , roadworks and insufficient parking on services at peak times. Do not forget transport companies pay a lot of tax through fuel duty and road tax to use these roads which are becoming worse by the year. It is easy to blame everything on the driver but a lot of things are out of his/her control.
Comment by Richard BETTINSON posted on
I don’t condone breaking the law but parking anywhere near Calais is just dangerous so most drivers I know are writing on printouts made worse by the fact parking in Kent after 6pm is almost impossible.
Perhaps some of that fine money could be spent on a proper lorry car park my yard is 1hr 10mins from Dover and my house 10mins drive from my house yet the man who parks next to me and lives next street to me got nicked at Dartford £300 paid the fine and was allowed to go to his operating centre we do need a level playing field and a bit of common sense because I sleep better in my bed than in some of the places vehicles are seen . Your argument is tired drivers are dangerous well we need proper parking and a proper rest
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Richard,
Lorry parking is a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT). Please see the below comment for more information:
https://movingon.blog.gov.uk/2019/03/20/historical-drivers-hours-offences-1-year-on/#comment-18711
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Richard BETTINSON posted on
Chris
You are a section of the Department of Transport and as a government agency should be putting pressure on the other departments to do something keeping our roads safe is your argument for all the checks well some of that safety comes from proper parking areas.
It is not safe to park within about 4hrs of Calais and the French port is a total hit and miss making keeping legal very difficult.
The big lorry park was blocked at planning because the correct impact possibilities had not been looked at properly. One certain outcome is more tired drivers in Kent and some of the other ports.
Comment by Rod Stephens posted on
What a second trip that normally takes a routine 45 minute trip that then takes 2 hours 15 minutes due to a traffic accident, with all the lay-bys full of other trucks. Still an offence?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Rod,
Unexpected events, like traffic jams, are accounted for in the drivers’ hours regulations. Drivers should make a contemporaneous note of the delay in their records to avoid penalisation.
If the delay is due to something the driver already knew about, such as roadworks they drove through the previous day, this is no longer considered unexpected. They would be expected to take this into account when planning their journey.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Kevin Goodwin posted on
Whilst I agree that drivers hours need to be adhered to there must be a degree of tolerance, you can plan your journey to take into account 'breaks' but with the best will in the world you cannot always find somewhere to stop, layby's that are open one day suddenly get closed for days covering several miles, a severe shortage of parking and facilities makes life difficult.
It doesn't matter how many times the phrase 'it's not a money making scheme' is said, the fact is that it is money gathered for the treasury that is not used to improve training or facilities for the industry to aid drivers to obey the laws. When this happens please use the above phrase freely!
Comment by Stephen Mitchell posted on
What bothers me as a 'professional' driver is that the number of checks has dropped but the fines have risen. Does this mean that a significant number of drivers have been committing multiple offences and getting away with it in the past?
I had to check my 2018 diary for my last infringement, exceeded 13 hours because of puncture at 11hrs 50 mins into my 13 hour shift. As I was on M11 so had to move once repaired.
I'm no magician, it isn't hard to keep it straight.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Stephen,
Since we've started being able to issue fixed penalties for up to 5 offences committed in the previous 28 days, the number of offences we can issue fixed penalties for has increased.
Before that, our staff would see lots of offences on drivers' hours records, but wouldn't be able to issue fixed penalties for them. It used to mean having to take the driver to court, which was a longer, more expensive process that was often worse for the drivers and for DVSA.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Eric posted on
Interesting comments. I have been a CPC TRAINER. In my past life. One of the many comments said were” I’m only a driver” Wrong any driver that holds a vocational license has a responsibility to Uphold the law. A vocational driver is a professional driver and has a duty of care to himself and other road users.
Comment by Paul Unwin posted on
The rules around drivers hours are complex and easily misunderstood by driver and operator alike. That's why we have driver CPC to raise standards, that said the number of times I delivered DCPC sessions drivers and managers uttered the immortal words "I know it all, just gonna waste 7 hours sitting here."
Comment by David Shackleton posted on
80% of the CPC is a waste of time. Better to spend the whole 35 hours on teaching of legislation surrounding Drivers' Hours than 28 hours of the course on Customer Service and other insults to people's intelligence. The CPC and DVSA fines for infringement take no account of employer pressure on employees desperate for a job.
Comment by S Funnell posted on
Had many like that Paul but a good trainer can always teach them something can't they. Had one he said 63 been doing it all my life why do I need this, by first break he was listening and by dinner he was enjoying it. I thought great I got a call from an operator he was a contractor for they offered me under his recommendation to do their CPC courses nationwide. The problem is E U Rules are based on simple rules but made complicated if that makes any sense, the big problem is people read them and make them say what they think they should be RTFQ sure that's a term you have heard. Don't CPC train anymore but if you are entertaining and knowledgeable it is fun and satisfying especially unpicking the misconceptions about E U Rules and the good old WTD
Comment by Dave Wyatt posted on
This is a difficult situation for the DVSA regardless of what actions are taken for HGV or the white van man. I have seen many vans that occupy the middle and outside lanes of motorways exceeding the speed limit when there is ample room for them to move over to the near side as best practice after overtaking. As a driver in the past of white vans, generally they hold down two or three jobs to make ends meet which is not an excuse to speed and take risks but is a compounding factor. Wages and schedules are not proportionate to work carried out (zero hour contracts) and then you have the drug addicts and weed smokers contributing to the alcohol drinkers. creating other risk to road users and pedestrians. Overall there must be a starting point and many of what has been discussed is at the forefront of policing and being dealt with but the target at the moment is the HGV flouting the hours if your Tachometer is used correctly you have nothing to fear when being stopped and checked
Comment by ian wilkinson posted on
More job sharing shorter weeks for those who want them would be a step in the right direction from Logistic Companies.
Comment by Tom Street posted on
I concur with Ron Dalton. As an HGV driver I support the enforcement of drivers hours by DVSA. However many smaller commercial vehicles such as vans are driven by people under the influence of drugs or who are also tired. They are not immune from causing accidents, and you just need to look at the way some of them drive, particularly in the early hours of the morning when no DVSA or police enforcement is about. Some of the overtaking on single carriageway roads has to be seen to be believed. Why are we making small commercial vehicles, that are capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph, allowed on the road? Come on DVSA....you need to look at all commercial drivers, not just us with tachographs and HGV licences.
Comment by Dennis Fawcett posted on
DVSA keep harping on about road safety. How about getting the daily spreadovers reduced, cut drivers hours so that we are not working 2 weeks in one compared to factory and office workers. I don't condone driving over hours but it seems to me to be picking an easy target. There is no leeway. A couple of minutes over maybe because parking area full and you are nailed.
Comment by Georgina Atori posted on
Some couriers & supermarkets' vans needs to be watch by DVSA or the police when they are on A40 or A406 North Circular because they are so nuisance & flouting the road rules. They drives too fast without signals when taking over the lanes. Grrh!
Comment by Si posted on
It's all well and good ensuring drivers comply with regulations. It is obviously a good thing that hours are monitored,however the hours drivers are allowed to work both driving and WTD hours do seem excessive considering the responsibility we have. Using heavy machinery and been able to work 15 hrs a day with 8 hours break. I personally think these hours need to be reviewed. Employers will push a driver to the legal limits as much as possible.
Comment by PT posted on
If you only have 8 hours off you need to go and do some more Dcpc courses. It's 9 hours on a reduced.
Comment by Si posted on
Meant a minimum of 9 hrs clumsy fingers
Comment by Shaun posted on
If he sleeps in his seat it's 9hrs off, if he drives home, eats dinner and drives back again, it's lucky if it's 8
Comment by Mic Choudry posted on
Look its all very well fining the drivers and raising welcome revenue for the treasury ,why not start sending offenders on an driving hours awareness course.Something similar on the lines of speeding this way we keep them in the industry and will have a smart approach in the future.
And for the record its not always the employer that's encouraging these offences as some drivers just ignore there responsibilities in record management.
Comment by David Hall posted on
I understand why this is enforced but how can we get fined for lets say adding the totol milage up incorectly on the old style Tachos or not having your CPC card on you if you get stoped and then you say it is not for proffit LOL how will this make the roads safer ? It will not, and there is many more silly things what have nothing to do with road safty it is just for proffit. I no longer drive anymore because i think it is now a job what is just not worth the hassel and in ten years or so the hallage firms will be finished because no one will want to drive and the likes of China and othere commy countrys think we are a joke this is one reason why there countrys are booming and the UK are not, and lets not forget the CPC money spinner this is just another proffit scam in my opinion LOL
Comment by Bob Thorn posted on
Need to bring the taxi drivers into drivers hours I’ve seen a taxi driver at six in the morning and still working at midnight and it seems to be common practice especially at weekends.
Comment by Andy posted on
Totally agree with this bob there's one in derby just been banned ran off the road by falling asleep
Comment by A Sneelling posted on
Apart from safety benefits you include making a level playing field for companies tendering for work. Can you publish the Fines paid statistics for foreign drivers compared to UK drivers.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
We publish enforcement stats on GOV.UK with a breakdown by vehicle type, and by UK and non-UK. Here’s a link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-enforcement-data-for-great-britain
We will be updating this in due course with stats for 2017/18.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Ron Dalton posted on
That is good work but does nothing to combat the car and van drivers that drive under the influence of drink and drugs. As an example see the Newmarket police action where 83 vehicles were stopped 75 of which were commuting offences. So a long way to go yet dvsa
Comment by Peter Stanyer posted on
No mention on here of whether the enforcement has actually made any reduction in accidents or incidents involving hgvs.
A 700% increase in fines is simply ridiculous. This is clearly a revenue generating scheme. No mention of an improvement of drivers working conditions. No indication of the indirect pressures placed on drivers by bosses or traffic incidents and delays.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello Peter,
Since the changes were introduced, we’ve seen a slight reduction in levels of offending, but not a dramatic one. It’s only been the first year, however, so we’re expecting it to take a bit longer for offending to reduce significantly.
In terms of a reduction in the number of accidents, we don’t have access to stats for this year yet, and in any event, we’d be reluctant to provide a definitive link to our enforcement of drivers’ hours offences, as there are often lots of factors.
Ultimately, all that’s changed is we’re penalising drivers for more of the offences they’ve committed. The rules haven’t changed, only the way we enforce them. If drivers don’t commit these offences, the amount of fines will go down. Similarly, less serious offences will attract fines significantly below the £300 maximum, and may even only attract a warning.
Previously, a driver caught with a significant number of historical drivers’ hours offences could only be dealt with by way of a court appearance. This could result in large fines, plus investigation costs paid to DVSA. It also took up more of the driver’s time. This is a more efficient and cost-effective way of taking enforcement action against them.
We’re aware of the pressures that can be placed on drivers, both in terms of traffic delays and other factors. Unforeseen circumstances, like traffic jams, are accounted for in the drivers' hours regulations, and drivers should make a note of these delays in their record at the time.
Drivers can also nominate their employer or manager to pay any fixed penalties they are issued using our new roadside payments app.
I would also point out that DVSA doesn’t keep the money raised from fixed penalties issued at roadside enforcement checks – they get paid to the Treasury.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Nick Cole posted on
So it is a Treasury fund raising exercise then!!! Rules are rules though a previous comment that people should have an alternative of a tacho/drivers hours cpc day instead would be more productive. And there is no listing of the breakdown of actual offences such no breaks, exceeding daily/weekly hours etc which would be extremely useful and put things into context. What about the occasional 5/10min lapse, compared to more frequent offenders, etc?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Nick,
The most common offences are taking insufficient daily rest and exceeding 4.5 hours driving without taking a break.
The more serious the offences attract the bigger fines and minor lapses, i.e. 5-10 minutes, are usually dealt with by way of a warning.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Steve H posted on
Good Afternoon Chris,
Thank you for your explanations. Given that one of the stated aims was to simplify the prosecution of offences by non-UK drivers, are there any statistics available covering the first year of operation which show the ratio of UK drivers to non-UK drivers who were a) checked and b) prosecuted?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Steve,
We publish enforcement stats on GOV.UK with a breakdown by vehicle type, and by UK and non-UK. Here’s a link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-enforcement-data-for-great-britain
We will be updating this in due course with stats for 2017/18.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Ian nicholas posted on
If it's not about making money wht don't you donate the fines to charity than let's see how much interest tosa show in persecuting drivers
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello Ian,
The money collected from fixed penalties all goes to the Treasury – DVSA doesn’t keep any of it.
Our only concerns in making these changes were improving road safety and making it so drivers who habitually break drivers’ hours rules cannot benefit from it.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Anthony Edwards posted on
Oh no, not that old “ it’s not all about raising money “ chestnut from another government department again. But still not a bad little earner from less than half a million to seven times that much in one year.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello Anthony,
Our aim in making this change was level the playing field for honest operators and to improve road safety. Operators who routinely break drivers’ hours rules gain a competitive advantage from doing so, and we want to put a stop to that.
Any money raised through DVSA’s enforcement activities is paid to the Treasury, where it used to pay for vital public services.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Steve Funnell posted on
Chris how Does DVSA survive if they give it to the treasury, wasn't aware of charitable donations. Not a facetious question genuinely interested
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Steve,
They aren’t charitable donations, but, yes, all of the fixed penalties issued by DVSA get paid over to the Treasury.
The majority of DVSA’s income comes from the fees charged to customers for vehicle tests and driving tests, including theory tests.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by P Dean posted on
What are the most prevalent offences. While the report shows that you are making head way, have offences shown a reduction if any? what advice or education are drivers being given?
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
The most common offences are taking insufficient daily rest and exceeding 4.5 hours driving without taking a break. The figures since the change was introduced do show a reduction in offending, but not a dramatic one. We weren’t anticipating an immediate drop off, and hope to see a larger reduction in the long term.
In terms of training, there are CPC courses available that teach drivers about drivers’ hours rules: https://www.gov.uk/driver-cpc-training-courses
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Ryan posted on
Send the DVSA to my place of work they will earn a small fortune!
Comment by RICHARD HAIGH posted on
How about investing that money raised into increased areas of parking so its more accessible for drivers to park? Laybys are closed, MSA (motorway service areas) fill up very quickly, industrial estates are no stopping / parking zones. The amount of time and fuel wasted trying to find parking sometimes is huge. There is no incentive for anyone to create additional parking, empty yards & land once suited to a transport cafe is not sold off for housing or regeneration, carparks are having more coffee shops built over them, council car parks whcih could provide overnight parking are closed off with no incentive to offer facilities, fining drivers isnt the only answer to drivers hours problems.
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hi Richard,
This is a matter for the Department for Transport (DfT). They recognise that there is a shortage of overnight lorry parking spaces in some parts of the country, including in the South East. While it is primarily for the market to respond to this deficit, the Government is facilitating where it can.
For example, DfT updated the Planning Policy Framework to explicitly include overnight lorry parking as a consideration for local authorities to take account of in their planning decisions.
Highways England is currently reviewing their landholdings to assess the potential for certain sites to be developed as lorry parks.
They are also keen to see driver welfare and security at lorry parks improve and are supportive of transparency initiatives to incentivise this. DfT have made available the full dataset from their recent parking survey to interested parties.
Thanks,
Chris
Comment by Pat Mccay posted on
Keep up the good work, hopefully people will wise up and start managing their responsibilities.
Comment by fred posted on
money making cash cow???
Comment by Chris (DVSA) posted on
Hello,
Not at all. DVSA’s aim in making these changes was trying to ensure that it doesn’t pay to break drivers’ hours rules. Drivers and operators’ who routinely break drivers’ hours rules gain a competitive advantage over operators who follow the law. By taking this tough action against them, we’re sending the message that non-compliance doesn’t pay.
On top of which, DVSA doesn’t keep any of the money it raises from fixed penalties – it all goes to the Treasury.
Thanks,
Chris