According to a recent survey, driver fatigue is thought to contribute 20% to collisions and up to 25% towards serious and fatal incidents. Driver tiredness can be caused by lack of sleep, leading to loss of concentration. Fatigue comes about due to performance of repetitive and monotonous activities. For example a long-distance truck driver driving for hours.
What is fatigue?
In its most basic form, it is often described as having no energy or lacking motivation, both physically and mentally. This could be termed "lethargy. This is often caused by physical or mental activity. It needs to be distinguished from drowsiness or sleepiness, which is essentially a lack of sleep (which can have the same effect). Causes of driver fatigue or tiredness essentially fall into two categories:
- Sleepiness or drowsiness caused by a lack of or inadequate sleep causes drivers to lose concentration or fall asleep while driving.
- Fatigue is caused by the repetition of tasks or activities without breaks.
The survey noted that 57% of junior doctors who participated in the study said they had a crash or near-miss while driving home from a late shift due to a lack of sleep. A driver may have had adequate sleep, but if driving for long distances without a break, they may become fatigued due to the monotony of the trip, lack of conversation, becoming bored, losing concentration, and hence becoming less aware of road conditions. Research suggests that work or activity carried out between midnight and the early morning hours disrupts sleep patterns and makes it difficult to achieve sufficient recovery sleep during the day. Fatigue is often caused by repetition over an extended period. It is therefore essential that drivers have adequate breaks, as prescribed by the Tachograph Regulations as well as the Working Time Regulations, which outline daily and weekly rest breaks. The need for sleep and rest is a bodily reaction to a lack of any or adequate sleep, but other factors may be contributing factors.
- Carb-based meals
- Bodily rhythm fluctuations especially between 2-6am and 2-4pm
- Insufficient or poor-quality sleep
- Sleep disorders, particularly affecting those who are obese and overweight
- Drugs, alcohol or medication
The employer’s duty
These hazards need to be identified and included in your health and safety policies and risk assessments. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) obliges the employer to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of staff, and this includes making sure that the driver is licenced and fit to drive. Employers should check if the driver's schedule allows them adequate sleep between shifts and whether it caters for prescribed rest breaks.
The following factors should be taken into consideration:
- Drivers are licenced and fit to drive.
- Provide safe driving training.
- Try to minimise the need for business travel wherever possible. Arrange video conferencing or clustered visits.
- Draw up and liaise with drivers about HS policies and risk assessments.
- Plan shifts and driving patterns that allow sufficient breaks and sleep.
- Educate drivers about the importance of taking breaks and getting 7-9 hours of sleep.
- Drivers who are genuinely too tired should be allowed to refuse to drive without sanctions.
- Where possible, staff offered alternative means of travel.
(Source SHPOnline)
