Two-Tyred: Driver Fatigue

ROSPA (the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) recently released a new factsheet regarding driver fatigue and road accidents. Department of Transport figures show that in 2022, approximately 1,300 road collisions were reported, including 59 fatalities.

 

Drivers and riders are most likely to suffer from fatigue:

• On long journeys on monotonous roads, such as motorways
• Between 2 and 6 a.m., or 2 and 4 p.m.
• After eating
• After long working hours or on journeys home after long shifts, especially night shifts
• If taking medicine that causes drowsiness

 

Rule 91 of the Highway Code recommends that to minimise risk drivers should:

• Make sure you are fit to drive. Do not begin a journey if you are tired. Get sufficient sleep before embarking on a long journey
• Avoid undertaking long journeys between midnight and 6 am, when natural alertness is at a minimum
• Plan your journey to take sufficient breaks. A minimum break of at least 15 minutes after every two hours of driving is recommended
• If you feel sleepy, stop in a safe place. Do not stop in an emergency area or on the hard shoulder of a motorway.

 

An employer’s responsibility for health and safety at work includes situations where employees are driving for work. It is important that employers have robust policies in place.

 

Planning journeys and work schedules can be a key factor in managing driver fatigue, for example, by:

• Allowing enough time for journeys, including such factors as rest breaks on longer journeys, time to load and unload vehicles, etc.
• Setting realistic work schedules
• Allowing extra time for poor weather conditions
• Plan to avoid driving at times when the risk of fatigue is greatest

 

The latest data from the Department for Transport on drinking and driving can be found on the GOV.UK website.

 

The Driver Fatigue and Road Collisions factsheet can be downloaded from the ROSPA website.

 

If you have any questions or would like support with managing issues at your workplace, please speak to your usual contact or get in touch using the form below.