Prison for driver found guilty of driver’s hours offences24 August 2012

A Feltham truck driver has been sentenced to eight months in prison for abusing drivers' hours regulations.

Following an investigation by government road safety agency VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency), Jasvinder Arora, of Hanworth, Feltham, pleaded guilty to 79 offences of creating false driving hours records at Ipswich Crown Court on 9 August.

Arora, who traded as Ocean Xpress Logistics, was involved in general haulage in and out of the port of Felixstowe in Suffolk. He created false records of the hours he had spent behind the wheel in an attempt to show that he had taken enough rest.

Arora used two methods to make the false records. The first was to create a false name to make it appear as though someone else had been driving. On other occasions he removed the tachograph chart, which automatically records the driver's hours.

In sentencing, Judge Goodin told Arora: "Driving a large HGV is a lethal weapon in the hands of a tired driver. The regulations ensure public safety and a level playing field. In your case you were driving for 24 hours and over 600km over a 24-hour period without proper rest, and another occasion of 18 hours continuous driving."

Geoff Dunning (pictured), chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, welcomes the conviction.

"This verdict came the day after the RHA called for tougher sentencing for drivers who falsify their drivers' hours records", says Dunning.

"We cannot stress strongly enough that the falsification of driving records is premeditated, and is one of the most serious offences in road haulage," he adds.

Author
John Challen

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