Department For Transport
September 13
13:23
2023
Details
The fatigue of drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is managed, from a regulatory perspective, through:
- limits on the number of hours that a driver may drive
- tasks a driver may undertake other than driving
- requirements for the duration and frequency of rest breaks
In exceptional circumstances, a temporary relaxation of driving time limits and/or rest drivers hours regulations can be considered.
This research assesses the benefits and disadvantages that have resulted from these relaxation periods. The specific objectives were to understand the impact that drivers hours regulations have on:
- cumulative driver fatigue
- cumulative driver fatigue during periods of regulation relaxation
- road safety, driver welfare and attractiveness of the occupation
The perceived effectiveness of the current processes for industry requests for driver relaxations (including existing guidance), and how this may be adapted for future relaxations, was also analysed.
The research was carried out by TRL Limited on behalf of the Department for Transport.