bigdave789:
I saw this article on the BBC News website, I knew it’s been proposed for a number of years since the horrific accident on the A34 when the woman and children were killed in the Vauxhall Corsa and the HGV driver was filmed by the in cab recording to be messing around on his iTunes at the point of impact
It’s a sobering thought that every time you start a shift that you could be involved in criminal proceedings which result in a life sentence in prison, given the average age of a UK Class One HGV licence holder is 57 years old, that’s condemning to die behind bars, a whole life tariff
That’s the weight of responsibility on a driver’s shoulders, not the pointy shoe gelled hair adolescent in the office who’s planned the driver’s work but never actually even sat in a wagon
Who here hasn’t at one point felt drowsy behind the wheel? You’re working long hours, you get poor if any sleep, you’re sat in your air suspended armchair , automatic transmission, cab heater on, it’s dark and cold outside and you’ve got the cruise control on and people wonder why drivers nod off
The next thing you know you’ve ploughed into the back of the standing traffic and your life just went down the toilet, it’s as quick and easy as that
Effectively it’s the American type offence of vehicular homicide as shown in the film Black Dog.
At the very least it makes the drivers’ hours rules and anything more than 4 on 4 off a liability for all concerned.
Also the grey are of night work and body clock issues which the 4 on 4 off pattern could make even worse requiring a different type of rest regime like 8 week’s holiday and 4 on 8 off shift pattern.It will take at least 4 days of that 8 day weekend to adjust the body clock at home not on the road, if you want to live a proper life.
Contrary to Conor’s ideas, by its nature the borderline between inevitably feeling a bit tired at the 11 or 12 hours mark and totally switching off into sleep after that, is an instantaneous and unpredictable and unconscious event.
Bearing in mind all the automated protection systems that train drivers have the luxury of.