Clearview National August 2019 - Issue 213 | Page 90

INSTALLERSUPPORT
Van Drivers Must Follow HGV Rules
Tradespeople who use work vans to get to and from jobs could be hit with a fine
of up to £300 if they exceed the UK daily driving hours limit, experts have warned.
» » MOTORING SPECIALISTS FROM
LeaseVan.co.uk have highlighted the law
which states that drivers operating a van for
commercial purposes must observe the same
working hour restrictions and rest period
requirements as professional HGV drivers.
Drivers operating a work van for more than
four hours per day are not permitted to be
behind the wheel for more than ten hours and
aren’t allowed to be on duty for more than 11
hours on any day in which they drive. Working
drivers can only reach the ten-hour limit twice
per week. For other days that week, they are
then restricted to nine hours – or 56 hours in
a week and 90 hours in any fortnight.
Van drivers on the roads for business
purposes must also get at least 11 hours rest
daily, take breaks totalling at least 45 minutes
after a maximum of four and a half hours of
driving and take an unbroken rest period of 45
hours weekly.
Skipping breaks and exceeding these limits
could see van drivers hit with a fine of up to
£300.
It could also prove dangerous for both the
driver and other road users, with tiredness
and fatigue among the leading causes of road
accidents and being potentially as deadly as
drink or drug driving.
90 » AUG 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Some tradesmen and women don’t currently
track their time on the roads between jobs,
but all have now been urged to keep an eye
on their van driving hours. Though vans don’t
require a tachograph to be fitted like HGVs,
written records should still be kept.
The limits are suspended for the duration of
emergencies, where the driver needs to take
immediate preventative action to avoid danger
to someone or an animal’s life or health, or
serious damage to property.
Restrictions are also relaxed when a major
interruption to essential public service must
be avoided – examples include gas, water and
electricity supply, drainage, telecommunications
or post, and roads, railways, ports and
airports.
Drivers of military, police and fire brigade
vehicles are also exempt from the UK driving
hours rules, as well as those who never drive
on public roads, whilst separate rules apply to
Northern Ireland.
Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk said:
“Some van drivers might not realise that if
they’re using their vehicle for business more
than four hours daily, they have to follow the
same rules as lorry drivers. When travelling
from job to job or making a long delivery, it
could be quite easy for a van driver to rack
up a few hours behind the wheel in a day. But
exceeding the applicable legal limit or not
getting enough rest in could see van drivers
hit hard in the pocket and facing a much-
increased risk of crashing.
“In short, you should never drive for
business for more than ten hours a day and
you shouldn’t work for more than eleven
hours a day in which you drive. Van drivers also
need to take at least eleven hours off between
shifts on the road, though this can be reduced
to nine on occasion. They should take at least
45 minutes in breaks if they drive for four and
a half hours and take consecutive days off at
least once a fortnight too.
“It’s also important to keep a written record
of driving hours if you expect to exceed four
hours behind the wheel in a day, even though
a tachograph isn’t required on light goods
vehicles. It’s essential that all drivers remember,
though, that driving when tired or fatigued can
cause accidents and prove as dangerous as
operating a vehicle while intoxicated.”
Sources: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/driving-a-van; https://www.gov.uk/guidance/drivers-hours-
goods-vehicles/2-great-britain-domestic-rules; https://www.gov.uk/drivers-hours/eu-rules