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Truck drivers in the UK were found to have committed more drivers' hours violations than any other offences during a week-long safety crackdown by the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL).

The campaign saw police stop trucks across the Continent. Of the 1,079 trucks stopped in the UK, 326 were found to have drivers' hours violations, while the next biggest offence was for technical issues, with 175.

About a third of the 934  British-registered trucks stopped in the UK were found to be committing an offence, compared to about half of the 145 foreign trucks. This trend wasn't mirrored in every country, though. In Germany, no foreign trucks were found to have faults.

Of the 123,752 vehicles stopped in the 22 countries covered by the TISPOL crackdown, one in five was travelling outside its home country. Some 41,000 offences were reported.

Different offences were prevalent in different countries:

• Poland and Romania had the highest number of speeding offences
• Drink driving and driving under the influence of drugs were more common in France
• In Italy, the main offence was driving without a seat-belt
• Both drivers' hours and tacho offences were most common in Germany
• The highest number of technical faults was found in Poland
• The country where the most trucks were unable to continue without further repair was Spain

Across the 22 countries  covered by the TISPOL crackdown, the largest number of offences was for drivers' hours violations, where 13,744 drivers were found to have driven beyond their legal limit.

TISPOL president Wolfgang Blindenbacher says: "We are concerned to see so many violations of the drivers' hours regulations, especially when the consequences of driving while fatigued can be so appalling."