Belgian Driver Gets Jail Time

During HGV driver training, one of the first things a student learns is that truck driving is a serious business that comes with serious responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to make sure mandatory rest periods are honoured at all times. Apparently, getting proper rest is something that was not important to Belgian HGV driver Nico Demeyer.

Demeyer was recently given a three-month jail sentence after he was caught tampering with the tachograph on his lorry. According to sources, the driver was found guilty of reporting false tachograph information and tampering with the device to make it appear as though he had followed the law regarding mandatory rest periods.

The law states drivers must take a minimum nine-hour rest for every 24-hour period of work. Rules are designed to make sure drivers have sufficient sleep so as to not pose a danger to themselves or others. Insufficient sleep is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents involving large vehicles.

Police reports say Demeyer sought to get around mandatory rest requirements by placing a magnet on his gearbox while making deliveries in England. A routine inspection on the A17 revealed the presence of the unexplained magnet and prompted the inspector to check tachograph data. The tachograph indicated the truck had not been driven during the previous 12 hours despite the fact that Demeyer had already been to Leicestershire and was now on his way to Sleaford.

In sentencing Mr Demeyer, the Lincoln Crown Court made note of previous convictions regarding tachograph offences. Judge Sean Morris made it clear he suspected Demeyer would have continued to violate the law had he not been caught.

Safety Always Comes First

Those of us at the HGV Training Centre want to make it perfectly clear that Mr Demeyer’s actions do not represent the entire haulage and freight transport industry. The vast majority of lorry drivers take their responsibility to the public safety seriously. On our part, we make sure to stress both road safety and the law clearly.

When drivers complete our programs, there is no question about what’s expected of them. This is just one of the reasons we believe we have the best training programs available throughout the UK. We make a point of not only providing proper practical skills instruction, but also helping students through the entire process from start to finish.

When individuals receive their truck driving training from us, we help them complete their medical paperwork, prepare for their theory test, learn all the skills necessary to properly drive and manoeuvre HGVs, and meet all expectations in order to pass their practical skills test. We believe we do the best job possible as demonstrated by our 97% first-time pass rate for the HGV theory test.

Whether you are an individual looking for HGV training, or a fleet manager in need of company-wide training, the HGV Training Centre can help. Please contact us at your earliest convenience so we can get started.