Eu driver rules

Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use. Explore the topic EU and international driving rules Tachographs Drivers' hours. Is this page useful?

Maybe Yes this page is useful No this page is not useful. Thank you for your feedback. For example:. A break A break is any period during which a driver may not carry out any driving or any other work and which is used exclusively for recuperation. A break may be taken in a moving vehicle, provided no other work is undertaken. Alternatively, a full 45 minute break can be replaced by one break of at least 15 minutes followed by another break of at least 30 minutes. These breaks must be distributed over the 4.

Breaks of less than 15 minutes will not contribute towards a qualifying break, but neither will they be counted as duty or driving time. The EU rules will only allow a split-break pattern that shows the second period of break being at least 30 minutes, such as in the following examples:.

This means that the next 4. See Annex 2 for further details. Note: All off road driving between rest periods will also count towards the daily driving limit where there is also driving on the public highway between those same rest periods.

A fixed week A fixed week starts at A driver must take a daily rest period within each period of 24 hours after the end of the previous daily or weekly rest period. A driver must take at least 11 continuous hours of rest called a regular daily rest period. However, this daily rest requirement can be reduced to 9 continuous hours up to 3 times between weekly rest periods called a reduced daily rest period.

A rest A rest is an uninterrupted period where a driver may freely dispose of their time. Time spent working in other employment regardless of the occupation type or volunteering when there is an obligation to undertake duties, cannot count as rest and must be counted as duty. Alternatively, a driver can split a regular daily rest period into two periods. The first period must be at least 3 hours of uninterrupted rest and can be taken at any time during the day. The second must be at least 9 hours of uninterrupted rest, giving a total minimum rest of 12 hours.

A driver may reduce their daily rest period to no less than 9 continuous hours, but this can be done no more than three times between any two weekly rest periods; no compensation for the reduction is required. A daily rest that is less than 11 hours but at least 9 hours long is called a reduced daily rest period.

Daily rest periods may be taken in a vehicle. However, it is expected that the vehicle has suitable sleeping facilities for each driver and the vehicle is stationary.

Suitable sleeping facilities in a vehicle are considered to be a bunk or other type of bed which is primarily designed for sleeping on. If a vehicle has no suitable sleeping facilities then other arrangements should be made, for example, a hotel, hostel, guest or boarding house, chalet, static caravan or rental accommodation.

To summarise, a driver who begins work at Split daily rest period A regular rest taken in two separate periods — the first at least 3 hours, and the second at least 9 hours.

Reduced daily rest period A continuous rest period of at least 9 hours but less than 11 hours. For the first hour of multi-manning the presence of another driver or drivers is optional, but for the remainder of the period it is compulsory. This allows for a vehicle to depart from its operating centre and collect a second driver along the way, providing that this is done within 1 hour of the first driver starting work.

Where the above conditions are complied with then the multi-manning concession may be used — that is each driver must have a daily rest period of at least 9 consecutive hours but they may do so within the hour period that starts at the end of the last daily or weekly rest period rather than the normal 24 hour period. If however the conditions cannot be complied with, then drivers sharing duties on a journey will individually be governed by single manning rules and will not be able to use the concession which allows daily rest to be taken in a 30 hour period.

Where a driver utilises the multi-manning daily rest concession of 9 hours rest in a 30 hour period that rest period cannot be counted as a regular daily rest as it is of less than 11 hours duration. These rest periods therefore count towards the limit of 3 reduced rest periods between any 2 consecutive weekly rest periods.

Both of these options are regular daily rest periods and so would not count towards the limit of three reduced daily rest periods between weekly rest periods. This is an example of how the duties of a two-man crew could be organised to take maximum advantage of multi-manning daily rest concession:. The maximum driving time for a two-man crew taking advantage of this concession is 20 hours before a daily rest is required although only if both drivers are entitled to drive 10 hours.

Whether these second drivers could claim the multi-manning concession in these circumstances would depend on their other duties. On a multi-manning operation, 45 minutes of a period of availability will be considered to be a break, so long as the co-driver does no work. Other than the daily rest concession detailed above drivers engaged in multi-manning are governed by the same rules that apply to single-manned vehicles.

Drivers who are on call during any period of legally required rest must at all times be able to dispose of the rest time as they choose. This means that an employer cannot impose any limitations on drivers during such periods, for example requiring them to remain in or close to home or at another location. Drivers must be able to dispose of their free time as they choose but this does not include undertaking any work where they are under the control of or are fulfilling an obligation to an employer.

Being on call may only extend as far as a driver agreeing to answer a call during a rest period but only if the driver so chooses.

On receiving a call to return to work drivers may only do so if they have completed the legally required amount of rest or if the work is deemed to be an emergency See Emergencies. It is recognised that some drivers volunteer to provide an emergency response, for example retained firefighters, RNLI or mountain rescue, and are on call specifically to provide such a response. Where it is a requirement for emergency response personnel to remain at or near home whilst on call, DVSA will regard the period on call as being rest.

A driver must take a weekly rest period after, at most, 6x24 hour periods from the end of their last weekly rest; during which they may freely dispose of their time.

There are rules on where the weekly rest must be taken. A regular weekly rest period A regular weekly rest is a period of rest of at least 45 continuous hours. A reduced weekly rest period A reduced weekly rest is a rest period of at least 24 but less than 45 continuous hours.

It must be compensated for by an equivalent period of rest taken in one block before the end of the third week following the week in question. The compensating rest must be attached to a period of rest of at least 9 hours — in effect either a weekly or a daily rest period.

A weekly rest period must start no later than at the end of six consecutive hour periods from the end of the last weekly rest period. This is perfectly acceptable — the working week does not have to be aligned with the fixed week, provided all the relevant limits are complied with. Note: It is permitted to have more than 6 shifts between weekly rest periods so long as compliant daily rest periods are taken between shifts and there are not more than six consecutive hour periods between the weekly rests.

Florida drivers reminded of Move Over law Jan 10, Year-on-year increase in roads deaths in Victoria, Australia Jan 7, New U. Indian government proposes 3-deck vehicles to transport 2-wheelers Jan 5, NSC urges drivers to take safety personally this holiday season Dec 21, Cookies on GOV.

UK We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Accept additional cookies Reject additional cookies View cookies. Hide this message. Home Driving and transport HGV, bus and coach drivers. Drivers' hours.