Documentation and Compliance at a Roadside Check
You are driving a company lorry on a motorway when you are signalled to pull into a DVSA checkpoint. The officer asks for your documents. You have your driving licence, a digital tachograph card, and a copy of the vehicle's plating certificate. However, you realise that the vehicle's MOT certificate expired two days ago, and you have not yet received the new one from the office. The officer also notes that the tachograph shows you have exceeded the daily driving limit by 30 minutes the previous day. The vehicle's maximum gross weight is 18 tonnes, and you are carrying a load that brings the total to 17.5 tonnes.
1. What are the potential consequences of the expired MOT and the tachograph infringement?
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The expired MOT means the vehicle is not legally roadworthy, and you could be fined, given a prohibition notice, and the vehicle could be taken off the road until a valid MOT is produced. The tachograph infringement (exceeding daily driving limit by 30 minutes) could result in a fine, and repeated offences could lead to prosecution and impact on your operator's licence. You should have checked the MOT before starting the journey. The officer may also check the load weight: at 17.5 tonnes, you are within the 18-tonne limit, so no overweight issue. However, the missing MOT is serious. You should contact your office immediately to resolve the MOT issue and ensure future compliance.
2. What should you do to rectify the situation and prevent future occurrences?
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Immediately contact your transport manager to inform them of the situation and arrange for the MOT certificate to be sent or for the vehicle to be taken for an MOT. Cooperate fully with the DVSA officer. For the tachograph infringement, review your schedules to ensure adequate time for breaks and rest, and use tachograph analysis to monitor driving times. Implement a checklist for daily vehicle checks including MOT validity, and ensure documents are carried. Consider additional training on driver hours. After the checkpoint, ensure the vehicle is not driven until the MOT is valid, unless permitted by the officer.