RSA - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement - The Compliance Picture

Driving for Work Seminar 2023

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement – The Compliance Picture

Justin Martin

Road Safety Authority

Contents ❑RSA enforcement activity ❑Inspection volumes & compliance trends ❑RSA Prosecution Stats ❑Top Tips

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RSA Enforcement Activity

3

Enforcement RSA enforcement officers at work

Enforcement RSA enforcement officers at work

RSA Enforcement Team

Vehicle Inspectors

Transport Officers

Support Personnel

❖ Roadside roadworthiness inspections

❖ Enforce driver's hours, tachograph, operator licensing, posting of drivers & driver CPC regulations

❖ Query Management

❖ Act as witness for prosecutions taken by members of AGS ❖ High priority operator premises inspections ❖ Quality assessments of AA Technical Inspectors

❖ Technical inspection queries

❖ Conduct both routine and high priority premises inspections ❖ Take Court prosecutions ❖ Tachograph & licensing inspection queries

❖ Targeting (Premises Inspections & Complaints) ❖ Reporting on all aspects of enforcement activity ❖ Case file prep ❖ Progress enforcement actions in Business Plans & the RSS

❖ Provide administrative support to wider enforcement team

# of Checkpoints by county 2022 151

28

33

44

24

33

62

27 57

192 18 65 101 68

90 76

61

74

177 71

29 14

55 133

72

82

2022 Total # checkpoints • 1837 - 22% outside core hours* 2023 YTD # checkpoints • 1497 – 22% outside core hours *Before 9am or after 5pm or at weekend/public holidays

Roadside Inspection Volumes & Compliance Trends

RSA enforcement activity roadside – roadworthiness inspections # vehicles inspected roadside by test category 2021

Compliance 2021

2022

Compliance 2022

2023 YTD

Compliance 2023

HGVs

15,749

50%

17,600

51%

12,677

53%

Buses

1,182

53%

1,740

55%

1,745

55%

LCVs

683

38%

1,017

44%

2,031

51%

Tractors

155

15%

140

22%

127

21%

Total

17,769

49%

20,497

51%

16,580

52%

RSA Enforcement activity roadside – tachograph & licensing inspections

# drivers inspected by vehicle category 2021

Compliance 2021

2022

Compliance 2022

2023 YTD

Compliance 2023

HGVs

3,121

63%

3,438

64%

3,009

68%

Buses

87

64%

224

69%

197

56%

Total

3,208

63%

3,662

64%

3,206

67%

Compliance trends at the roadside – all commercial vehicle categories

Top 10 defects detected roadside – all commercial vehicles Top 10 defects detected roadside

Top 10 dangerous defects detected roadside

2022

2022

Tyres

1,904

Condition and operation of stop lamps

1,043 836

28

14

Brake drums, brake discs

14

Springs and stabilisers

10

433 362 400

Wheels

Brake linings and pads

674

0

34

443

Registration number plates

Rear-view mirrors

Steering linkage condition

460

746

General condition of chassis and frame and attachments Mudguards (wings), spray suppression devices

284

Brake actuators (including spring brakes or hydraulic cylinders) Condition and operation of indicator and hazard lamps General condition of chassis or frame and attachments

Condition and operation of head lamps

Steering linkage condition

713

Condition and operation of stop lamps

1,184

Condition and operation of front, rear and side lamps Condition and operation of indicator and hazard lamps

Tyres

800

1200

1600

2000

21 21 15

0

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Common defects – tyres and wheels

Common defects – lights and reflectors

Common defects – braking related

Common defects – chassis and chassis attachments

Others observed

Potential consequences of non-compliance Vehicle order to be repaired on site

Requesting evidence of repairs within a specified timeframe Prohibition/impounding the vehicle Vehicle taken to a CVRT centre for further investigation Recommend a FCPN/prosecution to an AGS member working at the checkpoint

Top 10 MS & VSI infringements – tachograph & licensing inspections Top 10 Infringements prosecuted

Top 10 infringements detected (all severities) 2022

2022

Fail to take adequate break - Driver

4,526

Fail to take daily rest period - Driver

1,508 739 708

Exceed Daily Driving Time - Driver

578

Fail to take weekly rest

476

Driver card not used

354

Fail to take adequate break 4h30<…<5h Possess, use or attempt to use a driver card where the person is not the…

51 48 39 26 25 18

permits a person to use another person's driver card Fail to comply with production of records under regulation 35

236 1000

55

Two yearly check not carried out

323

0

57

Driving a vehicle without a valid driver CPC [Reg 23(1)(a)] Possess, use or attempt to use a driver card where the person is not the…

To cause or permit another who does not hold a valid driver CPC to drive a…

Vehicle not authorised on the road haulage operator’s licence…

Fail to ensure correct functioning of the digital tachograph - Operator Operating without holding a road haulage operator's licence

1,572

Insufficient obligatory break taken - 20 < … <= 30 min - Driver Insufficient obligatory break taken - … <= 10 min - Driver Insufficient obligatory break taken - 10 < … <= 20 min - Driver

Driver card not used

2000

3000

4000

5000

17 17 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Potential consequences of non-compliance Offering advice and education Enforcement action Issuing Direction notices Prohibitions Oral/written warnings Directing vehicles to authorised tachograph workshops for repair

Undertaking follow-up premises inspections Initiating court proceedings

Prosecution Stats - Tachograph & Licensing Inspections

Files completed in Court To 31/10/2023

2022

2021

# files completed in Court

270

285

181

# cases convicted in Court

157

151

103

# cases struck out

22

29

26

# cases struck out – donation/costs

15

18

18

# cases donation to charity

1

6

8

# cases Probation Act applied

37

55

14

# cases withdrawn at Court RSA/owner responsible

37

25

11

# cases conviction dismissed on appeal

1

1

1

Fines imposed by the Courts To 31/10/2023

2022

2023

Total fines

€166,200

€171,750

€85,977

# cases completed in Court

270

285

181

# cases with fine imposed

153

150

99

Average fine

€1,086

€1,145

€860

Donations to charity

€20,500

€24,250

€10,800

Costs awarded

€61,713

€79,058

€32,337

Costs received

€42,797

No data available

No data available

Top Tips

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Safer Fleets Vehicle Maintenance Maintain vehicles - fix before use

Periodically review it

Test on time

Use suitably qualified persons & train drivers

Display you disc

Keep records

Implement a system for regular inspection & maintenance

Make an annual declaration to RSA

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Safer Drivers Employers must ensure Drivers have only one and use only their own driver card

Drivers are asked to produce records for other work done

Tachograph equipment is working and calibrated

If rules are broken, it is documented along with remedial actions

Drivers know how to use the tachograph equipment & mode switch mechanism

Vehicles are stated on operator’s licence (where required)

Downloads are carried out, records analysed and records kept

Journeys are planned and sufficient time is afforded to drivers for daily living & delays 26

Thank you

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