Warwickshire Police urges drivers and companies to ensure vehicles are fit to drive

Warwickshire Police is urging the public and commercial drivers and companies to ensure their vehicles are in a roadworthy condition after a record number of 158 PG9 prohibitions were issued in 2022.

PG9 prohibitions can be issued by officers or the DVSA to prevent a vehicle moving until an issue is fixed and include for roadworthiness including mechanical problems and the condition of a vehicle’s bodywork and equipment.   A significant breakdown in the vehicle’s maintenance procedures could also result in a PG9 and drivers using tachographs could receive a drivers hours prohibition if they have not followed the rules.

PC 1210 Rob Spencer said “During 2022 officers identified a wide variety of dangerous defects on vehicles, from excessive corrosion to components hanging off, fuel leaks, damaged and dangerous tyres, insecure loads and numerous other defects requiring immediate prohibitions. The DVSA categorise these as immediate defects due to them being deemed too dangerous to be used on the roads. A particular theme has been cord exposed in tyres. 

“The volume of defects found demonstrates how important it is that our officers continue to check vehicles in particular those using our high speed routes. The sheer volume of vehicles being driven around in a dangerous condition is very concerning.  This is unacceptable and we will continue to conduct regular operations to check vehicles are safe and legal.”

Supt Warren Little said “Our commitment to making roads safer has been reflected in the significant investment made in the training and development of skills of Warwickshire’s roads policing officers. It is satisfying to see these record results having a direct impact on road safety, and we will continue to ramp up our activity to identify and remove defective and dangerous commercial vehicles from our roads in 2023.   Every one of these interventions makes Warwickshire’s roads safer for those who live in or travel through the county.”

Following a PG9, the vehicle owner and/or operators could be fined, prosecuted, have their vehicle immobilised and operator’s maintenance procedures assessed to ensure they are complying with their operator’s licence. 

More info on Roadside prohibitions can be found here Roadside vehicle checks for commercial drivers: Roadside prohibitions - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)