Mental Health and Driver Wellbeing

September 2025

Driver Managers – improve your understanding

Our monthly fleet focus delves deeper into some of the key road safety topics to improve your understanding, with free resources for you to share with your drivers.

Each month’s topic sits in a library so, as the library grows each month, you can access a bank of resources at any time to help you improve driver safety in your organisation.

ACCESS THE FULL FLEET FOCUS LIBRARY

Your Drivers – Your Responsibility

Your call to action:

Make sure you’ve got the policies you need in place to ensure your drivers are in good mental health & fit to drive.
Make sure everyone involved is aware of their responsibilities – including managers & supervisors.
Don’t be afraid to approach drivers and ask if they are alright – ask twice – and find time to talk.

Mental Health and Driver Wellbeing

Driving is for most people the most dangerous activity they can do.

We know that in the great majority of cases the initial outcome of a crash is around driver behaviour, with distraction, fatigue and medical issues being the root cause.

It’s fundamental that as an organisation and as a manager or owner you are aware of your drivers’ mental health and wellbeing, as well as their physical health, because mental health problems can affect driving performance. Stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues can affect a driver’s driving style, judgement and reaction times.

Check in with your drivers, make time to talk, and educate managers so they know how to respond if they suspect someone is suffering, or if they are approached by an affected employee. Ensure drivers eat well, stay hydrated, exercise and take adequate and healthy rests from driving.

So, how confident are you that your drivers are in good mental health and fit to work and drive?

Legal Insight: Mental Health and Wellbeing

Being a vocational driver, and being out on the road, conjures up an image that the driver is lucky not to have a boss watching over them, giving them the chance to put the radio on and enjoy the passing scenery. Of course, the reality can be very different.

The pressures of the working day and feeling of isolation can lead to a deterioration in mental health and wellbeing. As a transport or fleet manager, colleague or boss, ask yourself when you last asked a driver returning to base how they were?

Read this month’s insight on driver mental health and wellbeing here.