Driver fatigue: the fleet safety issue hiding behind the wheel

 

Fleet safety strategy often focuses on the most visible risks, from speeding and mobile phone use to vehicle condition, harsh braking and driver distraction.

But one of the biggest risks can be much harder to see.

Driver fatigue is a common issue across the globe. According to a European Commission report, driver fatigue is responsible for 15 to 20% of road accidents.

Tiredness doesn’t always result in a driver falling asleep at the wheel. More often, it leads to slower reactions, reduced concentration, missed hazards and poor judgement.

For fleet operators, this makes fatigue one of the most important safety issues to manage, but also one of the easiest to miss.

Here, we look at the risks and signs of drowsy driving – and how fleets can help keep their drivers’ eyes wide open at the wheel.

 

Tired of feeling tired

There are many reasons why a driver can be tired. They may have had broken sleep, an early start after a late finish or several demanding driving days in a row.

Shift work can also make fatigue harder to fight.

 

Tiredness is draining

When out on the road, drivers need to be 100% focused on everything around them – all while meeting deadlines.

Throw yawning and tired eyes into the mix and this becomes harder to juggle.

A tired driver may react more slowly to other motorists, not realise they’re speeding or make decisions they wouldn’t normally make if they were well-rested.

Driving on busy motorways or unfamiliar roads can make it even riskier.

Tiredness can also affect mood and behaviour. Drivers may become more impatient, less tolerant of delays and more likely to take shortcuts.

This can contribute to harsh driving, near misses, avoidable damage or serious, reputation-damaging complaints.

 

Spot the signs of drowsy driving

One of the biggest challenges for fleet managers is that driver fatigue isn’t always easy to spot.

Drivers may not report feeling tired because they don’t want to appear unreliable or unable to cope. Some may see tiredness as just part of the job. Others may not realise how much it is affecting them.

This means operators need to look beyond formal reports. Work-related patterns, such as repeated night work or long days, can be revealing and point to a higher fatigue risk.

Changes in driving behaviour can also provide warning signs. A rise in harsh braking, speeding, cornering events, minor collisions, vehicle damage or missed checks may not always be about skill or attitude.

So how can fleet managers support their drivers so they feel refreshed and ready for a day on the road?

 

1. Better planning

A shift schedule may look fair and compliant on paper but fatigue management means looking at how it works in practice.

Fleet managers should look at when journeys take place, where drivers can rest and whether schedules are realistic once traffic, operational activities such as loading a vehicle, customer delays and admin are taken into account.

Simple steps – such as allowing more realistic journey times, reviewing cases of regular long days, planning effective rest breaks and avoiding back-to-back shifts that leave little opportunity for quality sleep – can help.

 

2. Encourage good habits on the road

Regular breaks should be encouraged and planned into journeys. Even a short stop away from the wheel can help drivers reset, stretch and return to the road feeling more alert.

Vehicle ventilation is also important. Being too hot can cause drowsiness so remind drivers to crank up the air con or open a window to get some fresh air.

Staying hydrated, eating healthily and avoiding heavy meals before or during long drives can all help drivers to stay alert. A coffee stop can provide a short-term caffeine boost, but it should not be seen as a substitute for proper rest.

 

3. Make it easy for people to speak up

Fatigue can be a workplace culture issue.

Drivers are far more likely to take proper breaks if they know the business expects them to do so and has built enough time into their schedule.

They need to feel able to report tiredness, pressure or unrealistic schedules without fear of judgement. If the message is always “just get the job done”, they may push through when they should be taking a break.

Fleet managers can make a real difference by treating fatigue as a safety risk, not a personal failing.

This means encouraging open reporting, training managers to recognise warning signs and giving drivers clear guidance on what to do if they feel too tired to drive safely – and listening to their feedback.

Drivers will know where the pressure points are – the routes that regularly overrun, the customers that cause delays, the shifts that are hardest to recover from, or the times of day when they feel least alert.

 

4. Data can help join the dots

Fleet technology can make fatigue risks easier to identify by bringing information together in one place.

Telematics, vehicle checks, incident reports, working patterns and route data can all help operators identify where fatigue may be contributing to risk.

A driver with more incidents of harsh braking after several early morning shifts may need support for example, rather than a warning. A route with repeated delays and late finishes may need to be rescheduled.

Data will not identify every tired driver, but it can help managers to spot the warning signs earlier.

 

The role of DDAW technology

Newer vehicles are also starting to play a bigger role in spotting the signs of tiredness.

Driver Drowsiness and Attention Warning (DDAW) systems assess how alert a driver is through vehicle data and warn them if they may be becoming drowsy or inattentive.

Under EU vehicle safety rules, DDAW has been required on new vehicle types since July 2022 and all new motor vehicles sold in the EU since 7 July 2024.

For fleets, this technology can be a useful extra layer of protection, particularly on longer or more repetitive journeys, but it should not be a replacement for a best practice approach to fatigue management.

 

A safety priority

Fatigue should be managed as part of everyday fleet safety, alongside vehicle health and journey planning.

It starts with better awareness, more realistic schedules, open conversations with drivers and a willingness to look at the patterns behind incidents and near misses.

Better fatigue management ends with a safer fleet of drivers.