Driver fatigue – do you take it seriously?

Driving professionally is a demanding job, requiring skill, concentration, and constant vigilance. A crucial part of being fit to drive – and something we all need to take seriously – is to be properly rested.

We often talk about vehicle checks and driving hours, but the amount of good quality sleep that your drivers are getting is just as critical for safety. We need to talk frankly about sleep, and the common sleep problems that can affect drivers – and, most importantly, what we all need to do as professional drivers and as employers to manage the risks of fatigue.

Why Sleep Matters – To You and Everyone on the Road

Think of sleep as essential maintenance for your brain and body. It’s not wasted time; it’s when your brain clears out toxins, repairs itself, locks in memories, and resets for the next day. According to a US research team, this  “waste removal system” is one of the fundamental reasons for sleep. Their study, in the journal Science, showed brain cells shrink during sleep to open up the gaps between neurons, and allow fluid to wash the brain clean.

Without these processes, our bodies can’t function correctly.  When you don’t get enough quality sleep, your ability to function safely behind the wheel is compromised.  This isn’t just about feeling a bit tired. The effects can include:

• Slower reaction times
• Poor judgment and decision-making
• Reduced concentration and vigilance (missing hazards)
• Increased irritability and poor emotional control
• Risk of ‘micro-sleeps’ – nodding off for a few seconds without realising it

What are Sleep Disorders?

It’s not always just about burning the candle at both ends. Some people suffer from specific medical conditions that disrupt sleep, often without even knowing it.

A sleep disorder is anything affecting our night’s sleep or that of others. There is a spectrum of disorders, ranging from occasional irritating snoring, caused by colds, hay fever or alcohol, to loud snoring with obstructive episodes (apnoea) disrupting sleep up to many hundreds of times per night.

Conditions include:

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA):

What it is: This is when your airway repeatedly closes off during sleep, briefly stopping your breathing. You might wake up slightly gasping, often hundreds of times a night, without remembering it. This leads to very poor-quality sleep, even if you think you’ve been in bed for hours.

Risks: It’s strongly linked to being overweight, but other factors like high blood pressure also play a role. Millions in the UK have it, many undiagnosed.

Action Needed: The main symptom is severe daytime sleepiness, often with loud snoring or gasping reported by partners. Crucially, if a driver suspects they might have OSA, or they are diagnosed, they must inform the DVLA and stop driving immediately. This is a legal requirement. They must also inform you as their employer. Driving can only resume once it’s confirmed and effectively treated, usually with a CPAP machine (a mask providing air pressure).

Narcolepsy:
What it is: A rarer neurological condition where the brain can’t regulate sleep-wake cycles properly.

Symptoms: This isn’t just falling asleep. It can cause overwhelming ‘sleep attacks,’ sudden muscle weakness triggered by emotion (cataplexy), and even ‘automatic behaviour’ where a driver might continue driving tasks without being fully aware.

Action Needed: Diagnosis requires specialist tests. While people with well-managed narcolepsy can drive with DVLA approval, it requires strict medical supervision and lifestyle management. If your drivers are experiencing any such symptoms, seeking medical advice is essential, and they must inform you and DVLA about any diagnosis.

Insomnia:
What it is: Insomnia means a person regularly has problems sleeping. It usually gets better by changing their sleeping habits.

Impact: While common, chronic insomnia leads to significant fatigue which impairs your driving ability, just like any other cause of sleep loss.

Action Needed: Encourage drivers to speak to their GP who can help identify the causes and offer support to improve the situation.

Shift Work can also cause sleep issues, especially if it involves nights or rotating patterns, disrupting your driver’s natural body sleep clock (circadian rhythm). It can also make the commute home after work a particularly high-risk time for fatigue-related accidents.

Fatigue: The Hidden Danger on Our Roads

Whether it’s due to a sleep disorder, shift work, or just life circumstances, the end result of not enough sleep is often fatigue. Studies like the recent “Third Pillar of Health” report show that many professional drivers are routinely not getting enough sleep (averaging less than 7 hours) and, as a result, experience dangerous levels of sleepiness at work.

Fatigue is estimated to cost billions nationally through accidents and lost productivity. It’s not a sign of weakness; it’s a physiological state that makes driving incredibly dangerous.

Managing fatigue is a shared responsibility.

Employers can meet their duty of care by offering fatigue management education, implementing work schedules that enable individuals to perform their duties safely, and having the right processes and policies in place to monitor and manage driver fatigue.

Individuals are responsible for arriving at work fit for duty, and this includes making appropriate use of non-work periods to obtain sleep. They are also responsible for reporting fatigue issues to their employer.

How employers can reduce work-related road risk caused by fatigue:

• Maintain an Open Door: Your drivers must feel comfortable talking to you if they are struggling with fatigue or suspect a sleep problem, without fear of being unfairly penalised. Conversations should be supportive, and focus on solutions.
• Provide Information & Support: Employers should provide training and resources on sleep and fatigue to their drivers. The Driving for Better Business Fleet Safety Focus library includes posters and fact sheets that you can share with your drivers.
• Consider Scheduling: Employers should aim to create schedules that allow for adequate rest and minimise fatigue risks.
• Listen to Concerns: Employers must encourage drivers to report feeling unfit to drive due to tiredness, take it seriously, and find a safe solution. Safety always comes before schedules.

What Employers Should Expect From Their Drivers:

Educate your drivers to understand how to meet their part of the bargain. Share this checklist:

• Prioritise Sleep: Ask them to make getting enough quality sleep a fundamental part of their routine, so they are prepared for shifts by being well-rested.
• Know the Signs: Educate them to be aware of the signs of fatigue – excessive yawning, heavy eyelids, difficulty concentrating, drifting, slow reactions.
• Take Responsibility: It is your driver’s legal and professional duty to be fit to drive every time they get behind the wheel.
• Report Concerns: If a driver has persistent fatigue, suspects they have a sleep disorder, or are diagnosed with one, you must ensure they know that they  have to inform their GP, the DVLA (as required), and you – their employer.
• Never Drive Tired: Ensure they know that you support them to make the right decision. If they feel too tired to drive safely – they must not drive. Establish a policy whereby they pull over somewhere safe and contact the depot or office immediately. It’s far better to report it and deal with a delay, than risk an accident.

Every driver home safe and well.

The health and safety of your drivers, and the safety of others on the road, are paramount. Understand the risks, know the signs yourself – and take responsibility for managing the education of your drivers while creating a supportive culture of fleet safety.