During a roadside inspection of the driving and rest times of an articulated vehicle, agents of the Guardia Civil of the Traffic Detachment of Almeria, detected that its driver and sole occupant, had another person’s driver’s card inserted in the tachograph, thereby increasing his driving hours and/or reducing his rest times, a circumstance which represents an alleged criminal offence.
The investigation carried out by members of the Guardia Civil of the G.I.A.T. Group of the Almeria Traffic Subsector led to the investigation of two people for the commission of an alleged offence of Documentary Falsity in an Official Document; the driver of the lorry, as the perpetrator, and the holder of the tachograph card, as a necessary co-operator.
Those under investigation could face a prison sentence of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of six to twelve months.
Roadside inspections of professional drivers have, among other objectives, the verification and effective control of compliance with current regulations. Non-compliance with driving and rest times by professional drivers can have a negative effect on road safety, due to its influence on driving ability, and can also be detrimental to the organisation of the transport sector itself, due to unfair competition with other companies and drivers.
