Tirol: 150 days with HGV inspections in 2024

Approximately 2.4 million lorries crossed the Brenner Pass along the A12 motorway in 2023. This is why the Tyrolean authorities have decided to continue road checks of HGV transit traffic to ensure road safety.

This year, ASFINAG’s mobile inspection facility will be used on Tyrolean roads on 150 days, 38 more days than were originally planned. The regional parliament has decided to allocate approximately EUR 55,000 for this purpose. Every year, the Austrian motorway authority, together with technical inspectors and the police, test over 4,000 trucks. Inspectors check everything, from brakes to axle load and emission levels. ❗Inspections take place at checkpoints in Kundl and Radfeld, on the Brenner Pass, along national roads in Nauders, Leisach and Musau, and at checkpoints located on the lower-level road network and at motorway rest areas.

Technical faults pose the biggest risk to road safety, especially under unfavorable weather conditions. It is therefore important that lorries are roadworthy and their loads are properly secured. In addition to road-side checks, during which traffic police check the driver\'s documents, compliance with driving and rest times, winter equipment and load securing, it is also important that the technical condition of vehicles should be carefully verified emphasizes René Zumtobela, a member of the Tirolean parliament responsible for transport.

In 2023, traffic inspectors worked a total of over 64,300 hours, almost 2,000 hours more than in 2022. Nearly 11,500 technical faults were detected. Inspections conducted in Kundl and Radfeld resulted in 3,700 warnings issued to drivers found in violation of HGV driving bans (weekend, night and sector driving bans), and in over 2,300 cases drivers were banned from continuing their journey. The modernization of the checkpoint in Radfeld will begin this year. In addition to infrastructural improvements, the facility will be expanded to increase inspection capacity and efficiency.

In terms of the number of HGV driving bans and the frequency of traffic inspections, Tyrol is one of Europe’s leading regions. Its authorities believe this is the only way in which existing bans can be effective. The number of detected violations is constantly increasing, which sends a clear signal to other drivers that the authorities mean business and will not tolerate any infringements in this area emphasizes René Zumtobela.