Police action involving a truck on the A2 highway in Gütersloh district results in a fine of 30,000 euros for the company involved
In the Gütersloh District of Germany, a Turkish transport company found itself under scrutiny for allegations of tachograph manipulation, a serious offense that endangers road safety by allowing drivers to exceed legal driving hours and skip mandatory rest.
The company, however, denied all allegations. The following day, the entire security bond was paid, amounting to a substantial sum in the five-digit range, following consultation with the competent fine office of the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility (BALM) in Bremen.
The police stated that the constellation was very dangerous for the driver and the entire road traffic. During the control, a hidden toggle switch was found behind a cover in the cab, which could set the control device to "rest time" during the journey. The manipulated devices found on the truck were secured as evidence.
Tachograph manipulation is a violation of the German Road Transport Act and related EU regulations. Drivers caught manipulating tachographs face substantial fines, including security deposits for fines up to €30,000. Vehicles can also be immobilized until fines are paid, effectively grounding the truck and preventing continued violations.
Transport companies may also be held liable for failing to prevent manipulation or for employing drivers who commit fraud. This can lead to administrative fines and operational restrictions. The German Federal Road Transport Authority (BAG) along with the motorway police actively conduct intensive inspections, targeting tachograph compliance to prevent such fraud.
Tachograph data is not only crucial for ensuring road safety but also for tax and labor law compliance, often audited digitally via tamper-evident electronic logbooks compliant with German and EU standards. Manipulation not only violates transport safety laws but may impact other legal areas such as employment, insurance, and regulatory compliance, leading to a range of penalties against drivers and companies.
The A2 Police Gütersloh covers all topics, offering a WhatsApp channel for daily news. In this case, the 31-year-old truck driver was required to follow the police to a workshop. The driver, informed about the manipulation through an interpreter, claimed to be unaware of any guilt. Despite the payment, the truck could only continue after a repair.
This incident serves as a reminder of the strict enforcement of tachograph manipulation in Germany, with heavy penalties including fines, vehicle immobilization, and legal action against both drivers and transport companies to uphold road safety and regulatory compliance.
- The allegation of tachograph manipulation against a transport company in the Gütersloh District of Germany involves an offense that not only endangers road safety but also implicates other legal areas such as employment, insurance, and regulatory compliance.
- The German Federal Road Transport Authority (BAG) and motorway police conduct intensive inspections to ensure tachograph compliance, with penalties including fines, vehicle immobilization, and legal action against both drivers and transport companies.
- In the case of the Turkish transport company, the police found a hidden toggle switch in the cab, which, when used, set the control device to "rest time" during the journey, potentially allowing for exceeding legal driving hours and skipping mandatory rest.
- Tachograph data is crucial not only for road safety but also for tax and labor law compliance. Manipulation can lead to a range of penalties against drivers and transport companies, including substantial fines, operational restrictions, and possible civil or criminal charges.
