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Charlotte Haye 6th December 2017

Why Rest Stops Mean Rest – Not Sleeping In Your Cab

For as long as there have been HGV drivers, there have been regulations around how long they are able to drive for. There are many reasons for this – to reduce speeding, prevent accidents, prevent driver burnout – but not more so than to reduce the number of tired drivers on the road. But the quality of the rest out drivers get in their breaks is just as important as the length, which is why the DVSA has recently introduced a fine system for drivers who are cutting corners and sleeping in their cabs.

New Clarifications

It turns out, drivers sleeping in their cabs had become quite a problem in the UK. So much so, that the DVSA has been forced to clarify their position on the fines for drivers who take their full rest periods in their cabs, rather than elsewhere. The fines were initially announced some time ago and came into force in November this year, but due to confusion about how they would work, a clarifying statement has been made. To quote the DVSA:

“From 1 November 2017, DVSA will start to fine drivers up to £300 if they spend their full weekly rest break in their vehicle in places where it causes a problem. For example, if a lorry driver spends their full break in the cab of their lorry in a layby.”

The clarification then went on to say that drivers would be permitted to rest in their cabs only if they were parked in a suitable location – meaning somewhere with facilities such as toilets, showers and food outlets. In other words, they were able to actually rest, recharge and spend time outside their vehicle. If a driver were to simply pull up on the side of the road to rest, they would be subject to this new fine. Adherence will be monitored through random spot checks of common offence areas by road traffic officers, as well as tachograph monitoring.

Why Driver Rest Is So Critical

As we mentioned in one of our previous blogs, making sure you get a good amount of sleep before you drive is critical to the safety of not just you, but everyone you’re sharing the roads with. Driver tiredness causes around 20% of all on-road fatalities, 30% of all severe vehicle crashes and around 60% of all minor incidents. In a car, that is scary enough, but when you’re driving a vehicle that weighs several tonnes, it’s positively alarming.

For HGV drivers, good quality rest is absolutely crucial. That’s why there are so many rules and regulations over when they take breaks, how long they are allowed to drive and now, where those breaks can be. When a driver is on the road all day, they need to be able to take regular breaks from the wheel in order to stay focussed. The DVSA now believes that this means actually being physically away from the vehicle and in a clear space for quality rest, which is why this ban has been put in place. It’s hoped that the new measures will put a stop to the issue of drivers spending long hours outside of official rest stops, which can impact on both their physical and mental health, as well as the appearance of safety on public roads.

And this isn’t the only shake-up in the HGV industry recently. The new viewing rating for London HGV’s, the announcement of the electric HGV ranges and even more driver regulations mean that 2018 will be an exciting and challenging year for the haulage industry. To keep up to date with the latest news, or to find out how you could become part of this thriving industry, just get in touch with one of our team today.

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