The commercial driving rule which could leave you with a £1500 fine

Imagine this, you’ve been at your wheel five hours and counting, and you’re approaching a service station. You decide to put off stopping until the following service station because you’re not feeling the need for a break just yet.

You may think this is a harmless decision and that no driving rules have been broken, but it is in fact a chargeable offence for a commercial vehicle driver to go longer than 4.5 hours on the road without a break, and recent changes to regulations could result in an even heftier fine than before.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) stipulates that commercial vehicle drivers must take a break of 45 minutes after every 4.5 hours behind the wheel. In the past, those who ignored this law faced a one-time fine of £300, but recent changes mean that individuals could be fined for up to 5 counts of the offence – equating to up to £1500 – if they consistently skipped regular rest periods within the last month.

Those caught breaking this rule could also face prosecution and having their vehicle immobilised, as well as the £300-£1500 fine, research found. Those who live outside of Britain will be expected to pay the fine before being released to continue their journey. Failure to pay will result in the driver having their vehicle immobilised.

Ideally this rule prevents drivers from over-working themselves, taking regular breaks prevents sleepiness on the road and potential accidents from occurring. You might want to push yourself to the limits, and you might even be able to – but the ramifications from doing so could cause harm to yourself and others around you, and the fine is there to act as a deterrent.

To avoid the fine, make a conscious effort to take breaks after every 4.5 hours on the road, and ensure that you are properly rested before you start back on your journey.