On Monday 23rd October at a roadside check in Dagenham, Essex a VOSA traffic examiner inspected a Spanish articulated vehicle with a Portuguese driver. When asked to present his documents, the driver produced 11 days of digital tachograph printouts and no drivers' card. EU legislation states that a valid card must be issued to all drivers from member states before they can legally operate a vehicle equipped with a tachograph.

Without a valid card to support them, the printouts could have been produced by anyone and on closer inspection it transpired that some had been signed by another driver. A prohibition was subsequently issued for failing to produce a drivers' card and the driver was informed that he would not be allowed to remove the vehicle from the check site.

At 1am the traffic examiner received a call asking him to return and release the vehicle as the drivers' manager had flown straight to Gatwick and caught a taxi to Dagenham in order to rescue his stranded vehicle and colleague.

The UK has taken a firm line in ensuring that these requirements are adhered to since the DVLA began issuing driver smart cards back in June 2005, and will continue to do so on vehicles from both domestic and international transport operators.