Drivers’ Hours
EC Drivers’ Hours Rules
The main points of these rules are that drivers should:
- Not drive for more than 9 hours a day
- Not drive for more than 90 hours in a fortnight
- Have a break of at least 45 minutes after driving for 4.5 hours.
- Have a minimum daily rest period of 11 consecutive hours in each period of 24 hours.
Organisations operating under the EC rules will also need to take regular tachograph readings and keep up to date records.
UK Domestic Drivers’ Hours Rules
These apply to certain journeys within Great Britain that are not subject to EC rules (for more guidance on this please visit the Department for transport website)
The main points of these are slightly different to the EC rules; they state that drivers should:
- Not drive for more than 10 hours on any working day
- Not drive continuously for more than 5.5 hours without having a break of at least 30 minutes.
- Not work more than 16 hours between the times of starting and finishing work (including work other than driving and off-duty rest periods during the working day).
- Take a break of at least 10 consecutive hours between 2 working days
- Have at least one period of 24 hours off in any fortnight of work.
Under the UK domestic rules, there are no rules for record keeping for drivers of passenger vehicles. But, if under the UK domestic rules you drive both passenger and goods vehicles, you should keep written records of hours of duty and driving of goods vehicles.
There is a maximum fine of £2,500 for breach of the drivers' hours rules, and a maximum fine of £5,000 for failing to install or use a tachograph.
For further detailed information on this legislation and any exceptions to it, please visit the Department for Transport website.
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