Organised by TISPOL – the European Traffic Police Network – Operation Truck saw police and other agencies join forces in 24 countries for the week long operation.
A campaign to ensure the safety of trucks using Europe’s major roads uncovered over 50,000 offences in a single week including over 1,200 disqualified drivers and over 2,600 vehicles found to be unfit for use on the road.
Organised by TISPOL – the European Traffic Police Network – Operation Truck saw police and other agencies join forces in 24 countries for the week long operation.
As well as checking drivers for standard road offences, such as speeding or excess alcohol, Operation Truck also paid attention to the safety of vehicles and their loads.
The campaign began with specific focus on one of the main corridor routes through Europe spanning ten countries from Greece to Ireland and symbolising the determination of police to work together to ensure road safety.
Checks were also carried out night and day in all participating countries during the week of March 10th-16th.
In total 179,700 trucks were stopped and 51,970 offences detected.
These included 684 drivers having consumed excess alcohol, 8,685 exceeding the speed limit and 14,184 drivers hours offences.
A worrying 2,655 trucks were found to be unfit for the roads and barred from continuing on their journey and 1,254 drivers were found to be disqualified.
TISPOL President Adam Briggs said: "We encourage and support the vast majority of transport companies who go about their business in a law abiding way. "It is wrong that such companies find themselves facing unfair competition from rivals who are prepared to cut costs by breaking the law. "This can be in the form of forcing drivers to break safety regulations or in failing to ensure their vehicles are properly equipped and maintained. This puts the lives of the drivers and other road users at risk. "Checks will be carried out throughout the year backed up by further concerted campaigns like this one to send out the clear message that police across Europe are united in their determination to ensure the safety of our roads."
Note: Results table and national breakdown of participating countries below.
TISPOL is part funded by the EU. For further information about this and other campaigns visit www.tispol.org or email: press@tispol.org. Clink on the following link for the table or copyand paste link into addressbar of your internet explored. http://agsportal/Documents/Policy%20and%20Procedures/Traffic%20Policy/Trucks%20targeted%20in%20Safety%20Campaign%20495.08.pdf
Garda Press Office
14th April 2008
Ref: 495/08
