Intensive monitoring on heavy vehicles begins Monday

The police will conduct a special control operation on heavy traffic throughout the country from Monday to Sunday, said a press release issued by National Police Board.

“A special theme for the control operation is paying attention to driver distractions,” said Chief Superintendent Kari Onninen from the National Police Board.

According to Onninen, the use of phones, tablets or laptops while driving, and obstacles in the field of vision, such as structures installed on the dashboard or decorative items attached to the windshield, will be addressed.

“We will focus especially on any objects and obstacles that prevent the drivers from seeing to their right,” Onninen said.

In addition, the focus of surveillance is targeted at the most prominent issues detected during the previous campaigns, such as compliance with driving hours and rest periods, fastening of the load, and the overall condition of the vehicle.

During a corresponding special control operation period in 2019, a total of 1566 vehicles were inspected, and the detected violations resulted in issuing a fine or summary penal fee in writing to approximately every fourth driver.

According to Kari Onninen, the goal for this campaign is also to inspect approximately 1,500–1,800 vehicles.

All police departments in Finland will participate in this nationwide campaign. The special control operation is part of the Europe-wide enforcement theme of the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL).

Surveillance of heavy vehicle traffic is one of the focus areas set for the traffic safety work of police in 2020.

The aim of the operation is to improve road safety and combat crime associated with the shadow economy and transport.