Driver Hours, Fatigue and Fitness to Drive
What the exam tests
This domain tests fatigue management, rest breaks, fitness, alcohol and drugs, medication and record keeping. Questions often describe a driver who has had little sleep and ask what the correct decision is.
Core rules
- Do not drive if you are ill, excessively tired, impaired by alcohol or drugs, or affected by medication that causes drowsiness.
- Plan rest breaks before fatigue starts; continuous driving must be broken by rest, and daily rest is required.
- Where a tachograph or logbook is used, record driving, work and rest accurately.
- Treat sleep as the only real cure for fatigue; caffeine, cold air and loud music are short-term aids only.
- Report medical conditions and medication changes to your employer.
Worked example
A driver starts at 06:00 and reaches four hours of continuous driving at 10:00. Company rules require a break after four hours. The driver takes 45 minutes off duty before continuing. The reasoning: the break restores alertness and satisfies the operating limit; a five-minute stop for fuel is not a rest break. If the driver feels drowsy after the break, the correct action is to stop and rest, not to continue to the next town.
Traps
Do not count loading or paperwork as rest unless the rules allow it. Do not split a required break into several very short stops unless the rule permits it. Do not use energy drinks to cover up sleep debt.