Sussex Police stopped more commercial vehicles than any other force during a national operation targeting insecure loads.
Officers stopped 26 vehicles during a dedicated day of action on the A23 at Handcross on 8 September as part of Operation Rule.
The annual operation focuses on commercial vehicles carrying insecure or unsafe loads, with police saying the latest figures show a continuing fall in the number of vehicles requiring intervention nationally.
In September 2024, 73.6 per cent of vehicles stopped across the UK required enforcement or advice. That fell to 59.2 per cent in 2025 and 46.3 per cent this year.
Sussex Police says the most common problems found during the latest operation included unsecured scaffolding equipment, loose pallets and building materials, overloaded vehicles and drivers exceeding permitted hours.
PC Barry Freeman, from the Sussex Police Commercial Vehicle Unit, said: “While this is a fairly small sample size, it shows that people are paying attention to our message, they are taking action and they are making a responsible decision.
“Checking your vehicle to ensure it is secure before you set off on every journey is a tiny task which can make a massive difference to protecting all road users.”
The operation was inspired in part by the death of 11-year-old Harry Dennis, who was killed in Hooe, East Sussex, in 2022 after being struck by a scaffold plank which fell from a moving vehicle.
His mother, Maria, has since campaigned for better load safety and has taken part in conferences, presentations and workshops across the country.
PC Freeman added that although more than half of the commercial vehicles stopped during the latest operation were compliant, a significant proportion still required enforcement action or advice.
Sussex Police says the results show why continued roadside enforcement and work with the industry remain important in improving load security standards.
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