Enhanced border checks and law enforcement operations along Park Road
In a bid to ensure road safety and prevent accidents involving trucks, police forces in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) conducted vehicle checks across the region. The operation, led by Police Director Reiner Schiffer, saw a total of 141 vehicles being checked in the evening.
During the checks, several violations were detected. A total of 77 violations were recorded, including 18 cases of vehicle technical defects, 14 cases of improperly secured or overloaded cargo, and 178 distance violations. Seven drivers were found to be under the influence of intoxicants, three of whom had their licenses seized. One driver's license was also seized during the checks.
In addition to these violations, general vehicle technical defects were found in 56 vehicles, and 55 vehicles were prohibited from continuing their journey. Several temporary detentions took place during the checks.
The checks were carried out at various locations, including Grevenbroich, Neuss, Rheurdt (Kreis Wesel), Duisburg, Nettetal, Hünxe, Essen, and Mülheim. The Federal Office for Logistics and Goods Transport was involved in the checks. Particular attention was paid to compliance with driving and rest times, as well as proper cargo securing.
The goal of these checks is to reduce accidents involving trucks, which would lead to more safety for all road users. The police have stated that they will continue to carry out such controls regularly to increase road safety and prevent accidents.
The anticipated growth in goods traffic by 2030 implies a higher volume of heavy road transport. The Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) had forecasted in 2014 that road goods transport in Germany would increase by nearly 17% between 2010 and 2030, reaching a volume of about 3,639 million tonnes by 2030. However, this growth in freight transport actually occurred much faster than expected, reaching and even exceeding the forecasted volume well before 2030.
The growing volume of road freight, combined with intensified use of trucks, raises challenges in terms of road safety. Increasing freight volumes can lead to more interactions between heavy vehicles and other road users, possibly increasing accident risks if not managed properly.
However, advanced measures are being implemented to mitigate these risks. Investments in road safety technologies such as intelligent traffic systems, speed enforcement cameras, and AI-based traffic monitoring are being made. The global road safety market is projected to grow to $12.39 billion by 2030, driven by government regulations and investments aiming to reduce traffic fatalities and improve safety infrastructure.
In Germany, efforts to decarbonize and modernize the heavy-duty fleet (such as electrification of trucks and use of alternative fuels) may indirectly improve safety by promoting newer vehicle technologies with enhanced safety features.
Thus, the forecasted increase in goods traffic by 2030 will likely increase the demands on road infrastructure and enforcement to maintain or improve road safety levels. Enhanced regulatory frameworks, technological adoption in traffic monitoring, and modernization of freight vehicles will be key to counterbalancing the safety risks associated with higher freight traffic volumes.
References:
- Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), 2014. Road goods transport in Germany will increase by nearly 17% between 2010 and 2030. [Online] Available at: https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/Artikel/DE/Infrastruktur/Verkehr/Straßenverkehr/LKW-Transport/LKW-Transport-2030.html
- Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI), 2021. Decarbonizing and modernizing the heavy-duty fleet. [Online] Available at: https://www.bmvi.de/SharedDocs/EN/Artikel/DE/Infrastruktur/Verkehr/Straßenverkehr/LKW-Transport/LKW-Transport-2030.html
- European Commission, 2021. Road safety in Europe: an overview. [Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/overview_en
- MarketsandMarkets, 2021. Global road safety market to grow to $12.39 billion by 2030. [Online] Available at: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/road-safety.asp
- The Federal Office for Logistics and Goods Transport was involved in the vehicle checks, indicating a need for increased regulation and oversight in the transportation industry to enhance safety standards.
- The growing volume of road freight, particularly by 2030, is projected to drive investments in advanced technologies such as AI-based traffic monitoring and intelligent traffic systems, aiming to improve safety in the finance sector due to the potential market growth of $12.39 billion by 2030.
