No loose or retrofitted objects such as wind deflectors, shelves, screens, curtains, decorations or anything else that takes away even a small part of the driver's view through the windshield and side windows or the view of the mirrors.

The vehicle must be equipped with an exterior rear-view mirror on each side.

On a bus or coach designed to carry more than 19 passengers, it must be possible to keep the right-hand rear-view mirror free of mist when heated.

All trucks must be equipped with a rear-view mirror on both sides. In addition, there must be a wide-angle mirror and a near-zone mirror on the right side. (Both of the "new" type (with a different curvature so that the mirrors cover a larger area).

Newer trucks from 2007 onwards, with a total weight of over 7,500 kg, must also be equipped with a front mirror or camera.

Close proximity mirrors are only required if they can be placed at least 2 meters above the road (exception - e.g. trucks with canvas roofs).

Blind spot mirrors (only found on older trucks) can be replaced by wide-angle and near-zone mirrors of the "new" type.

How to adjust the rear-view mirror

Adjust the rearview mirror on each side so that the side of the car can just be seen in the inner part of the mirror and the horizon can be seen in the upper part of the mirror.

How to set the near zone mirror

The proximity mirror must provide the driver of the truck with a view of at least 2 m from the right side of the truck's cab.

How to set the wide-angle mirror

A wide-angle mirror, possibly supplemented by a blind spot mirror on the right side of the truck, must give the truck driver an oblique view to the rear from the cab of the truck.

Front mirror

The front mirror must give the driver of the truck a view immediately in front of the truck at least 2 m. from the front of the truck and at least 2 m. from the front right corner of the truck.

Blind spot mirror.

In truck garages, larger gas stations and turnouts, there are often painted areas where you can check the alignment of your mirrors.

Special equipment

The car must be equipped with a speedometer, which is usually combined with a tachograph. Newer cars must instead be equipped with a digital tachograph (Tachograph). The tachograph must normally be installed in trucks for goods transportation (over 3500 kg) and buses. However, there are exceptions, such as emergency vehicles, school vans and refuse collection vehicles. The tachograph must work properly. The tachograph must be inspected by an authorized workshop at least every two years. The tachograph installation plate must be replaced during the inspection. The recording equipment and driver card must function properly and be used correctly. The recording equipment must be installed correctly, tested and sealed by an authorized workshop and fitted with an installation plate. The details of the recording equipment are laid down in the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonization of certain social legislation relating to road transport and in the Council Regulation on recording equipment in road transport.

General EU regulations on driving and rest times

Driving time

• Driving time is the time recorded as driving by a recording device. Daily driving period: The total driving time between 2 rest periods. The daily driving period must not exceed 9 hours. However, it can be increased to 10 hours twice in a week.
• The weekly driving time must not exceed 56 hours.
• The sum of driving time in 2 consecutive weeks must not exceed 90 hours.

Breaks and rest times

Driving time without a break

• Driving time without breaks must not exceed 41/2 hours, after which a continuous break of at least 45 minutes must be taken unless the driver starts a rest period.
• This break can be replaced by a break of at least 15 minutes, followed by a break of at least 30 minutes spread over the driving period. The order of the breaks cannot be swapped. For two-man operation, the break can be taken in a moving vehicle.
• The driver must not perform any driving or other work during this break.

ATTENTION! Be aware of the "Law for Mobile Workers" which determines the driver's working hours. The weekly working hours must not exceed 60 hours. Within a 1/2-year period, the average weekly working time must not exceed 48 hours.

Rest time

• Within any period of 24 hours after the end of the previous daily or weekly rest period, the driver must have taken a regular daily rest period of at least 11 consecutive hours (regular daily rest period).
• The regular daily rest period can be taken in 2 periods, the first of which must be at least 3 consecutive hours and the second at least 9 consecutive hours.
• Rest time can be reduced to at least 9 consecutive hours (reduced daily rest) up to 3 times between two weekly rest periods.
• If there are multiple drivers in the vehicle, each driver must have a daily rest period of at least 9 consecutive hours within a 30-hour period.
• A regular daily rest period taken while accompanying a vehicle on board a ferry or train shall not be interrupted more than twice by other activities for a maximum total of one hour. The driver must have access to a bunk or berth.
• For two consecutive weeks, the driver must take at least:
  - 2 regular weekly rest periods, each of which is at least 45 hours,
  or
  - a regular weekly rest period of at least 45 hours and a reduced weekly rest period of at least 24 hours. The reduced time, e.g. 21 hours (regular weekly rest of 45 hours minus reduced weekly rest of 24 hours) must be compensated with an equivalent rest, which must be taken in total within three weeks after the end of the week in question.
• Rest taken as compensation for reduced weekly rest must be taken in continuation of another rest period of at least 9 hours. In the example of a reduced weekly rest period of 24 hours, the compensation must be at least 30 hours (the reduction of 21 hours plus 9 hours).
• A weekly rest period must start no later than the end of 6 consecutive 24-hour periods after the end of the previous weekly rest period.
• Daily rest periods and reduced weekly rest periods taken away from home may be taken in the vehicle if it is equipped with adequate sleeping facilities for each driver and the vehicle is stationary.

Using the control device

• The recording equipment can either be analog with a chart sheet or digital with a driver card. An analog recording device records the driver's activities on a chart sheet. A digital recording device records the driver's activities partly in the recording device and partly in the chip in the driver card.
• In certain special cases, such as damage or theft of the driver card, it may be necessary to use a printout from the digital recording device to record the driver's activities.
• Chart sheets/driver cards must be used every day from the moment the vehicle is taken over until the end of the daily work period.
• If a diagram sheet is used, a sheet that matches the control device must be used. To ensure this, look at the printed numbers on the back of the diagram sheet, where one number must correspond to the number on the type plate of the recording equipment.

Before inserting the diagram sheet into the recording equipment, the driver must write the following information on the sheet in a legible and clear manner:

• 1. surname and first name. Initials are not sufficient and stamps must not be used.
• 2. Start date and start location. Start location can be specified either by country code (e.g. DK), or country (e.g. Denmark) or city name (e.g. Esbjerg).
• 3. registration number of the vehicle to be used. When changing vehicles during the working period, the registration number of each subsequent vehicle must be entered in sequence on the back of the sheet.
• 4. Mileage at the start time. When changing vehicles during the work period, the first vehicle's final mileage must be stated on the front and the new vehicle's starting mileage must be stated on the back together with the new registration number.
• 5. The time of the vehicle change. The time is indicated on the back of the chart sheet.

• 6. The end date, end location and mileage must be indicated on the record sheet when it is no longer to be used.
• 7. The driver must operate the recording equipment setting buttons so that all time groups (driving time, other work, availability and rest) are recorded and that the driver's activities are clearly visible on the chart sheets/data on the driver card and in the digital recording equipment and on any printouts.
• 8. The record sheet may only be replaced at the end of the daily work period. However, the record sheet may be removed when changing vehicles or when the record sheet
  is not expected to be used further in the same vehicle.
• 9. The driver card may only be removed at the end of the daily work period. However, the driver card can be removed when changing vehicles or when the driver card is not expected to be used further in the same vehicle.
• 10. The chart sheet must not be left in the control device for more than 24 hours.
• 11. Chart sheets/driver's license and all manual records and printouts for the current day and the previous 28 days must be carried while driving and must be presented to the police on request.
• 12. In the event of malfunctioning or defective functioning of the recording equipment, the driver shall record on the record sheet or on a separate sheet attached to either the record sheet or the driver card all the information that the recording equipment would otherwise have recorded.

Tachograph and chart sheets (dials)

Tachograph
Driving must be documented, with interruptions and rest periods recorded. Cars covered by the rules on driving and rest periods must therefore be equipped with a tachograph that records on a diagram plate how fast and how far the car has driven, and when and for how long it has stopped.

Operating the time group switch

The switch hand is set to position 11 (driving time) at the start of the journey. At the end of the journey, set the pointer to position 11 or 11 depending on the activity being started.

The diagram sheet is filled in as follows:

Before inserting the disk:
Full name (last name - first name).
Location where the trip begins.
Date of the start of the trip.
Registration number.
Mileage at the start.

When switching to another car:
Time of change of car.
Registration number.
Mileage at the end.
Mileage at start.

The back is also used in case of emergency:

• Defective tachograph.
• You leave the car.
• The reason for exceeding driving and rest times.

At the end of the work period:
Location where the trip ends.
Date of the end of the trip.
Mileage at the end of the trip.

The driver must comply with the following provisions regarding the recording equipment and diagram sheets

• Only use clean and undamaged washers.
• The control device number must be found among the printed numbers on the back of the sheet to ensure that the correct chart sheet is used.
• Must use the washer every day from the moment the vehicle is taken over and for the entire period of use.
• Do not use each disc for more than 24 hours.
• Must ensure that the time recorded is in accordance with the official time in the country in question.

Malfunctions: If the tachograph breaks down, it must be repaired. If the car is not back at home within a week, the repair must be made en route.
If the tachograph is broken, the driver must record driving and rest times on the back of the disk.

• For the periods when the driver has not driven or has had time off or vacation, a so-called "Holiday declaration" must be completed (declaration for missing record sheets). Any declaration or declarations, if available, must be brought along during the journey and presented as documentation, together with the record sheets and any printouts, at the request of the police. (See example of declaration for missing diagram sheets at www.transit.dk).

Slice showing a typical working day!

A) The driver inserts the disk when taking over the vehicle (commenced registration). Note down the surname and first name, place of departure (nationality letters), vehicle registration number, date and odometer reading.

B) The needle records the day's driving (speed and any stops (loading and unloading) and any stops in traffic)

C) Break for at least 15 min. (Always taken as 1st break)

D) Break for at least 30 min. (Always taken as a 2nd break) (The two breaks could also be taken as a single break of at least 45 minutes). Then drive again for a maximum total of 4.5 hours. (Normally maximum driving time 9 hours per day)

E) Twice a week, one extra driving hour can be driven. Please note that an extra break of at least 45 minutes must be taken beforehand (10 hours can be driven twice a week).

The disc (chart sheet) is taken at the earliest at the end of working hours, when changing vehicles or after 24 hours.

The driver enters the end location, date and odometer reading and finally calculates the number of kilometers driven. (The disc must be brought for the day of driving and the previous 28 calendar days, and then handed in to the employer)

NOTE. If the vehicle is resting, it is recommended that a disc starts with rest (normally 11 hours). The digital tachograph records the driver's driving in the same way as the analog control device.