Cleveland and Durham Initiative Nets 16 Drivers

Drivers undergoing their HGV training in County Durham over the last several weeks were probably oblivious to an unmarked HGV being used by police officers to monitor driving activity. Nonetheless, Operation Riding High succeeded in netting 16 lorry drivers for a variety of offences.

Like several other police agencies around the UK, officers in County Durham decided to engage the unmarked lorry for road patrol because it offers them a much better view of what is happening. In this particular case, officers from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit used cameras to document offences for easier prosecution in court.

Over the course of the 14-day patrol, the initiative resulted in 14 fixed penalty notices for failure to use a seat belt, one for a vehicle defect, and one for using a mobile phone while driving. Officials insist the initiative is not designed solely to punish lorry drivers, but to educate and make the roads safer for everyone.

Interestingly enough, the police agency does not own its own lorry for the purposes of road patrol. A local dealer loaned this particular vehicle to them.

Increased Accident Raids

According to a report in The Northern Echo, officials in County Durham believe an increasing number of HGV accident justifies the new road patrols. Indeed, the number of accidents seems to be on the rise if you pay attention to the news stories. It would be interesting to see if the actual statistics back up the assumption.

In either case, it’s important for HGV operators to follow the law at all times. Our vehicles are many times larger and heavier than typical passenger cars. Not only that, motorcycles and bicycles are no match when engaged in accidents with HGVs. Safety should be the first concern of every driver.

To that end, we emphasise safety whenever offering HGV training in County Durham or across the UK. We believe that safety is just as important as operational efficiency. When HGV drivers make a commitment to road safety then everyone in the UK benefits.

If you’re interested in undergoing HGV training yourself, we urge you to get in touch with us today. We can have you ready for your practical skills test in no time at all. What’s more, we’ll help you every step of the way. From your initial medical exam to looking for a job, the HGV Training Centre wants to be your advocate. We offer the best training and support services anywhere in the UK.

If you are already licensed as an HGV driver, we would remind you of your legal requirement to earn CPC certification by 10 September of next year (2014). This year’s September deadline for PCV drivers came and went with far too many not completing their training in time. If you fail to complete yours by next year, you could be subject to fines or the loss of your job. Why take that risk when we can provide the training at a price you can afford?