Lfd. No.: 0397

At a checkpoint on Derner Straße in Dortmund, the police checked 67 vehicles and found around 120 violations of speed regulations, load securing regulations and social regulations such as driving and rest periods. Experts from Dekra were also deployed. They detected technical defects.

A BMW driver from Dortmund was driving at 99 km/h where 70 km/h is permitted. Several drivers attracted attention with red license plates, which are intended for test drives, among other things. In fact, they were using the license plates issued to car dealers for other purposes. The police initiated proceedings and informed the road traffic authorities who issued the red license plates.

Software manipulation in freight transport

The police were also deployed on the freeways, where the control teams stopped and checked 84 vehicles. They found 83 violations. A technical inspection team from the freeway police stopped a 40-ton truck on the Autobahn 1 near Hagen and discovered software manipulations to the exhaust gas control unit and the engine control unit. Among other things, the truck's speed limiter was removed via the software manipulation.

The team removed the hardware to preserve evidence. It was therefore no longer possible to continue the journey, which had already been prohibited. Reinstalling the components in a specialist workshop costs around 10,000 euros. The haulier initially wants to send its own fitters from Poland to Germany. Before the truck rolls even one meter, the police will check the installed control units.

High accident risk due to insufficient distance

Teams were also deployed on the freeways during "sicher.mobil.leben" to measure the distance between trucks using special technology. In the process, 232 trucks and 20 cars were found to be following too closely. Too little distance is one of the most common causes of accidents and means a high risk - and therefore danger to life on the highways.

The same applies to speeding. Provida teams equipped with special video technology were able to record 21 violations - including seven offenses that result in driving bans and high fines (including 128 at the permitted 80 km/h and 100 at 171 km/h).

Traffic accident prevention in discussions

Preventing accidents - that is the task of traffic accident prevention by the police. In numerous discussions with drivers in freight transport, the topics included the "blind spot", risks due to insufficient distance, fatigue at the wheel and dangers due to inadequate load securing. The police also used VR glasses to demonstrate the dangers.

"Manipulated software, broken wheel nuts, inadequate load securing, far too little distance and excessive speeds are all evidence of this: Without our controls in international freight transport, it won't work. Freight forwarders and drivers run a high risk of accidents with such gross violations. They pose a danger to life on the roads. Whenever we discover this, we prohibit them from continuing their journey in order to protect lives on the road," said Chief Superintendent Sascha Schlusemann in a summary.

Thanks to reputable freight forwarding companies

However, the Chief Superintendent is also certain: "70 percent of freight traffic is handled by trucks. We also have to mention the hauliers, who invest a lot of money in personnel, vehicles and technology and therefore in safety in the face of tough international competition. The police are happy to say: Thank you!"