Driver Fatigue Remains #1 Safety Issue

Drivers are continually plagued by growing fatigue with little choice when it comes to finding parking.

Fatigue: A Major Problem

Driver fatigue continues to be a major problem when it comes to road safety. According to a recent ETF Study:

• 60% of truck drivers and 66% of bus and coach drivers said they had to drive while fatigued on a regular basis
• 772 drivers said they nearly crashed and caused a major road accident due to driver fatigue
• Nearly 1/3 of truck drivers and 1/4 of coach drivers reported falling asleep at the wheel while driving
• 57% of bus and coach drivers and 52% of truck drivers reported wanting to pull over and take a break when feeling tired but being unable to do so

Legislation

The European Union’s Directive (EC) No. 561/2006 requires mandatory breaks and rest times for truck drivers. Such truck driver regulations are meant to address driver fatigue to ensure drivers get enough rest. Below you will find a break down of driving times and rest periods according to the EU Directive:

The regulation is meant to prevent driver fatigue and enhance road safety. Driving while tired is very similar to driving after consuming alcohol; it profoundly impacts performance. The specified breaks and resting intervals avoid the buildup of fatigue and should help drivers stay awake and attentive behind the wheel.

What more can be done?

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) notes that there is no consistent enforcement strategy across the Union for the EU Directive. There is a large variation in enforcement agencies and also a large variation in sanctions. This is a common problem in Europe regarding enforcement of legislation. Though enforcement of the rules is encouraged, it does not really solve the problem itself.

Many drivers want to stop, but find no available parking and if they do find parking, dismal conditions where they are treated as ‘less than human’, according to several driver interviews.

So… let’s up the offer:

Building more decent parking areas is a clear must, and this has been supported by the European Commission is several directives as well with funding programs like Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). ESPORG offers several workshops and networking opportunities for its members to learn “best practices” in addition to the EU Parking Academy, which is the one of the only accredited training programs the for staff and personnel of parking areas who want to certify according to the EU-Parking Standard.

In addition, the ESPORG Excellence in Truck Parking Award showcases the best truck parking area in Europe each year and highlights the security, amenities, comfort and services of excellent truck parking areas in Europe–these are the parking areas which should serve as the benchmark for all other parking in Europe in terms of comfort, safety and services for drivers.

Day Against Driver Fatigue

June 21st, the longest day of the year, was deemed the international “Day Against Driver Fatigue” by the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) in 2023 and once again, this year, was used to draw attention to fatigue among professional drivers.

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Want to more about how you can help raise awareness for driver wellbeing? Contact info@esporg.eu to learn how to join in our campaign!

*Featured image was taken by Christian Erfurt and downloaded from the Unsplash website.