Driving and Rest Periods
Core concepts
EU Regulation 561/2006 governs driving times for goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. Daily driving must not exceed 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice a week. Weekly driving must not exceed 56 hours, and two consecutive weeks must not exceed 90 hours. After 4.5 hours of driving a driver must take a 45-minute break, which may be split into 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes. Daily rest is normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours up to three times between weekly rests. Weekly rest is 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours with compensation. A driver must also know the difference between rest and break, availability, and the multi-manning rules. Record-keeping is by tachograph.
Traps in questions
The classic trap is the split break: 15 minutes first, then 30 minutes, in that order - 30 then 15 does not count. Another trap is the daily rest reduction: 9 hours is allowed three times between weekly rests, not every day. Questions also confuse break (a period when the driver may perform other work) with rest (free disposal of time). The 10-hour driving day is allowed only twice per week.
Worked example / rule of thumb
Rule of thumb: "4.5 hours driving, then 45 minutes break; 15 then 30 if split." Example: a driver drives 2 hours, takes 15 minutes, drives 2.5 hours, takes 30 minutes. Total driving 4.5 hours with a valid split break; if the second pause had been 20 minutes, the break would not count and driving must stop.