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Defective brakes, violations of driving times and illegal meat products – five times prohibited from continuing the journey
During a large-scale inspection of commercial passenger traffic on the premises of the South Hesse Highway Police Station, officers inspected a total of 13 buses on Thursday (August 21). They were supported by colleagues from Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and other Hessian police departments, as well as customs officials, the Darmstadt Regional Council, and the Veterinary Office.
The results were clear: 12 of the 13 buses inspected were found to be in breach of the regulations, and the police initiated investigations against 16 drivers. A total of over €15,000 in security deposits had to be paid. 124 passengers were also checked.
Serious technical defects in braking systems
Emergency services discovered serious technical defects on three buses: two vehicles had cracked brake discs, and a third vehicle's technical inspection revealed virtually no braking power on one front wheel. In all three cases, the vehicle was immediately prohibited from continuing its journey.
Violations of driving and rest times
There were also serious violations regarding travel times:
- Two drivers of a Serbian bus had been on the road almost continuously since the previous day, and the speedometer had also been tampered with, allowing the vehicle to travel faster than the permitted 100 km/h.
- On a Romanian bus, a driver attempted to impersonate a passenger in order to conceal violations of rest periods.
- Two drivers did not have valid driving licenses, and two others lacked all records of driving and rest times.
Illegal meat products in luggage
In addition to technical and driving violations, inspectors seized almost 40 kilograms of dried meat from a passenger on an Eastern European bus. The veterinary office took over the case and had the goods disposed of.
The police announced that they would continue to carry out close checks on commercial passenger transport to protect passengers from dangers posed by fatigued drivers or defective vehicles.
(Darmstadt - red/ots)
Featured image: Bus checks on August 21 as part of the state security cooperation in Darmstadt. Photo: ots
