ALL THINGS LICENSING Managing stress


Some ways in which drivers can help manage stress are: • allow for delays when planning / scheduling journeys


• arrange a meeting with your supervisor or line manager if you identify problems that may affect your driving


• ask your supervisor or manager if there is additional support for staff


There are however a number of key risk factors associated with driving for work which operators can help to control. These are factors are:


• fatigue / • distractions / • time pressure


In other words, when driving for work, drivers are more likely to suffer from fatigue, distractions or time pres- sure than when they are doing other types of driving.


WHAT MUST DRIVERS DO AND HOW CAN THEY HELP MINIMISE RISK?


Simply put, a fatigued or sleepy driver is an unsafe driver and it’s important to understand these risks in order to try to reduce their impact on your driving. Remember, drivers have a legal responsibility under the HSWA to ensure they take reasonable care of themselves and others. Failing to do so not only creates an offence under the Act, but is also likely to call into question their ongoing suitability to hold a licence with the licensing authority.


Some of the common risks are as follows: Fatigue and sleepiness


Sleepiness and fatigue are related but are subtly differ- ent. Sleepiness is simply having difficulty remaining awake, while fatigue is the gradual loss of efficiency. Research has shown that the driving situations in which drivers are most likely to fall asleep at the wheel are:


• between midnight & 6am, and between 2pm & 4pm


• on long journeys with monotonous roads (e.g. motorways) / • after having less sleep than normal


• after taking medicine that causes drowsiness • on journeys home after night shifts • after being awake for a long time


Fatigued and sleepy drivers start making safety-critical errors long before they reach the stage of falling asleep at the wheel. Driving for long periods will make you fatigued and more likely to make mistakes. It’s therefore important to try and allow for a break of: at least 15 minutes every two hours.


PHTM SEPTEMBER 2024 Distractions


A driver is distracted when they have to pay attention to a second activity while driving.


Possible distractions while driving include: • mobile phones / • passengers / • eating


It’s important that you identify possible distractions before driving and take measures to avoid them, in order to reduce your risk of being involved in a collision.


Mobile phones, the legal perspective


As a reminder, you are breaking the law if you use a hand-held phone or similar device while driving, or riding a motorcycle. You will receive a £200 fine and six penalty points on your licence if you use a hand-held mobile phone when driving. Your case could also go to court and you could be disqualified and receive a maximum fine of £1,000.


In addition, you also risk a licensing sanction.


You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted. This includes if you’re using devices such as your sat nav, car radio or any operator PDA.


A hand-held mobile phone is defined as a device, other than a two-way radio, which performs an interactive communication function by


transmitting and


receiving data. This includes: • sending or receiving voice or text messages • sending or receiving documents • sending or receiving still or moving images • accessing the internet


There are two exceptions:


• two-way press to talk radios (used by emergency services and taxis)


• in a genuine emergency using a hand-held phone to dial 999 or 112 if it is unsafe for the driver to stop


63


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74