By Christos Christou
- Labor Department Σχέσεων[email protected]
In June 2021, the ETF (European Transport Workers’ Federation) published a highly acclaimed study on the road transport sector titled “Driver Fatigue in European Road Transport.” Unfortunately, the study and its highly significant findings did not receive the attention they deserved in Cyprus.
The researchers reviewed the existing literature on driver fatigue among professional drivers. They also analyzed data and information collected from questionnaires administered to 2,861 bus, tour bus, and truck drivers working in the EU.
The main findings of the study are summarized below:
- 66% of bus and tour bus drivers and 60% of truck drivers reported that they felt tired while driving quite often or sometimes.
- 24% of bus/tour bus drivers and 30% of truck drivers stated that they had fallen asleep at least once in the past 12 months while driving.
- 57% of bus/tour bus drivers and 51% of truck drivers indicated that they wanted to stop because of fatigue but were unable to do so.
- 31% of bus/tour bus drivers and 26% of truck drivers reported that they had nearly been in an accident in the past 12 months due to fatigue.
- 5% of bus/tour bus drivers and 3% of truck drivers reported that they had been involved in an accident at least once in the past 12 months, due to fatigue.
According to the study, drivers’ working conditions and terms, such as limited rest periods, are among the main causes of fatigue.
The EU has recognized this problem since 1969 and, for this reason, has enacted legislation that applies to all member states. These rules specify maximum driving hours, minimum rest periods, and the proper use of the tachograph, and they serve three main purposes:
- to improve road safety;
- to improve drivers’ working conditions, and
- to create conditions for fair competition among transportation companies.
In this context, the tachograph plays a key role as a device that facilitates compliance with the law by recording the driver’s hours of driving, rest periods, vehicle speed, and other data.
The Department of Labor Relations, the Traffic Division of the Police Headquarters, and the Road Transport Division have assumed responsibility for enforcing the relevant European legislation.
The violations identified during inspections lead to the conclusion that transportation companies and self-employed drivers must intensify their efforts to comply, with an emphasis on the following areas:
- driver training,
- better organization of drivers’ work, and
- self-monitoring: companies and self-employed drivers themselves should verify their compliance with the law and take the necessary steps to improve (e.g., developing internal regulations, guidelines, or policies to instruct drivers on how to use the tachograph).
We’ll conclude with a friendly reminder to every professional driver. Use the tachograph correctly and follow the rules. By doing so, you protect yourself from fatigue and all other road users.
