Why Fatigue Management Training Is Critical for Truck Drivers' Safety

Driving while fatigued can have fatal consequences.

Every driver knows this, and those who spend copious amounts of time on the road will appreciate the dangers of driving when tiredness creeps in.

And if you don't understand the gravity of the situation or don't appreciate the risk involved with driving fatigued, check out these stats.

• The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) states that fatigued drivers cause 20 to 40% of all vehicular crashes in Australia. 

• Driving when you haven't slept for 17 to 29 hours is the equivalent of driving with a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.05%

• Nodding off for 4 seconds while driving at 100km/h means travelling 111 metres without control.

• A survey of over 1,000 Australians over 18 found that a third of respondents experienced a microsleep while driving (budgetdirect.com.au).

• The rate of accidents due to fatigued truck drivers has dropped from 27.3% in 2005 to 8.2% in 2021 (NTI.com.au).

Driving when fatigued can have considerable consequences for any driver, but especially those who drive trucks or operate machinery.

At Great Heavy Driving School, we are committed to delivering effective courses for all heavy vehicle drivers to ensure safety on the roads at all times. This includes Basic Fatigue Management Training.

Fatigue management training can be massively beneficial for drivers, business owners, and management alike and is a prerequisite for all companies using heavy vehicles in their operations.

What Is The Law Around Fatigued Driving?

Currently, there is no specific law specifically addressing fatigued driving for small or light vehicles. 

In this instance, incidents caused by fatigued driving are covered under negligent or careless driving of a light or small vehicle.

However, this changes when you are driving a heavy vehicle.

The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) applies to drivers of "fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles" in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria, and South Australia.

What is classified as a heavy vehicle?

A fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle is any vehicle with a gross vehicle mass exceeding 12 tonnes, including buses with a gross vehicle mass of 4.5 tonnes or more.

Vehicles exempt from this law include bulldozers and motorhomes for the distinct purpose of fatigue driving offences.

The law states that;

"It is an offence for a driver to operate a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle while impaired by fatigue."

HVNL Fatigue Regulated Vehicle Guidelines for Drivers and Employers

So, what exactly must drivers and employers be aware of regarding the legalities of fatigue management?

Before diving into some of the specifics of fatigue driving legal guidelines and laws, it's important to reiterate that the law does not just target drivers. It holds drivers, employers, dispatchers, loaders and schedulers accountable. This is called the Chain of Responsibility (CoR).

Legal Responsibilities for Drivers

Drivers need to be aware of the legal limits on their work hours and rest periods. 

• Standard hours (default)

• Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) is an accreditation scheme that offers more flexibility.

• Advanced Fatigue Management allows a more flexible fatigue management system for tailored work and rest hours for customised schedules.

An example of driving under standard hours looks like  

• 12 hours maximum of driving in 24 hours

• At least 7 hours of continuous rest every 24 hours

• Regularly take breaks during the day. 

An example of Basic Fatigue Management can look like 

• Up to 14 hours of work in 24 hours with 7 hours of continuous rest.

• Up to 84 hours of work in a 7-day period with at least 24 continuous hours off duty in this 7-day period. 

• A 14-hour work span is driving for 6.5 hours without a break, maximum, and then at least 15 minutes rest.

For employers, legal responsibilities include

• Creating safe schedules with rests built in.

• Not pressuring drivers to meet unrealistic schedules. 

• Delivering fatigue management training.

• Performing checks to verify drivers are safe and fit for the road.

• Keep records of driver work and rest hours.

• Retain diaries for up to 3 years.

• Document fatigue management training, health assessments, and rosters.

How Fatigue Impacts Driving

Fatigued driving is on a level with drunk driving when drivers become severely fatigued. It's little wonder that this can have massive consequences on their ability to drive correctly.  

Alertness and Reaction Times

Sleep-deprived drivers will find it harder to stay awake, especially when driving at night or on long stretches of road with nothing around them to retain their focus. This lack of alertness will lead to reduced reaction times, meaning drivers won't react to changes in circumstances as fast as they normally would or should be able to. This delay, even a minor one, can increase the risks of accidents on the roads and potential collisions. 

An NTARC report found that fatigue was responsible for 34.6% of fatalities involving truck driver deaths, and fatigue is still a significant problem in the industry. 

Poor Judgement

When you're tired, your judgment is impacted, and drivers can often misjudge road conditions or their environment. From misjudging speed to distance or even the actions of other drivers, many mistakes can occur when driving fatigued.

Increased Risk of Microsleeps

Microsleeps while driving can be fatal. As discussed, even a 4-second microsleep can increase the risk to other road users, pedestrians, and their surroundings. Drivers who have failed to have adequate rest are at a greater risk of experiencing microsleeps on the road.

Signs of Fatigue for Drivers

What does fatigued driving look like? Drivers and passengers should be aware of the signs of fatigue to prevent drivers from taking the road and understand when breaks are needed.

Fatigued drivers and driving looks like

• Frequent yawning or rubbing of the eyes

• Heavy or drooping eyelids

• Difficulty focusing

• Microsleeps

• Difficulty focusing - not responding to verbal cues, or missing exits or road signs

• Slower reaction times both on and off the road

• Lower energy levels

• Drifting between lanes

• Slower reactions

• Increased irritability

• Abrupt braking

• Tailgating

How Does Driver Fatigue Occur?

Part of the fight against putting fatigued drivers on the road is understanding how a driver can be fatigued and what you can do to stop it.

• Long driving hours without adequate rest. 

• Irregular sleep patterns occur when working and between shifts or due to inconsistent schedules. 

• Sleep disorders, for example, sleep apnea, which is extremely common among truckers.

• Monotonous driving conditions.

• A tumultuous personal life results in poor sleep on days off.

The Risks of Fatigued Driving

The risk for those who are found to be driving while drowsy can be catastrophic, to say the least. Fatigued driving poses a danger to drivers and those around them. The consequences can include 

• Legal consequences include liability in accidents, fines, job termination, and even jail time (applicable to both drivers and employers if found to be at fault or knowingly enabling drivers to drive while fatigued).

• CDL suspension or termination - fatigue-related violations can result in the loss of a commercial driver's license. 

• Increased accidents - drivers who aren't as alert as they need to be are at a higher risk of causing accidents due to delayed precise times, misjudging circumstances and driving scenarios, or even falling asleep at the wheel. 

Fatigue Management Training

At Great Heavy Driving School, we are Brisbane's leading heavy vehicle driving school, and safety is our priority. 

The last thing anyone needs is for new or existing truck drivers to head out on the road without adequate training. This can create a knowledge deficit between employers, drivers, and the general public who share the roads with ill-equipped drivers, which can be eliminated via effective training.

Our Basic Fatigue Management training course is a competency-based course designed to equip heavy vehicle drivers with the principles of fatigue driving. 

The training is performed under some supervision, either as a single operator or within a team environment. 

The unit will cover legislative and regulatory requirements (HVNL) and is a must to operate under the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator's Basic Fatigue Management Accreditation.

The training program focuses on delivering the skills drivers, and employers need to successfully apply fatigue management strategies in the real world. 

This includes acting upon and identifying fatigue and implementing the appropriate measures to combat fatigued driving. 

The course will cover

• Applying fatigue risk management strategies.

• Identify fatigue in drivers.

• Acting on signs of fatigue.

• Operating a fatigue risk management system.

• Planning and navigating trips.

• Updating and maintaining records.

• Complying with work and rest requirements.

• Implementing strategies to minimise fatigue during working activities.

Fatigue management training is essential for all heavy vehicle drivers and can be instrumental in improving safety records and protecting drivers on the road and those around them.

Our expert trainers are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to deliver comprehensive training, leaving nothing uncovered.

If you want to know more about our Basic Fatigue Management Training courses or any of our other courses for heavy vehicle operators and owners, you can enquire online or call us to talk to our team, who can help you find the right course for your company.