New Driver Advice

Starting out in the industry can be daunting at first, with so much to take in. Tachograph infringements can be costly if you can’t give a valid reason. I’ve read so much information over the years and it’s easy to confuse yourself, so I want to make it plain and simple for you to understand.

When driving

If you are driving then you must take a 45 minute break once you have driven for a total of 4.5 hours in any day. 

The breaks can be split with a 15 minute break followed by a another break of 30 minutes, and it must be in that order, a driver cannot take a 30 min break followed by a 15 minute break. 

Once a 45 minute break has been completed another 45 minute break will be required if a further 4.5 hours of driving is finished.

Other work

If a driver is doing other work, according to the working time directive, they would be required to take a break or breaks totalling 30 minutes if the work they are carrying out is between 6 hours and 9 hours. 

For any work that goes over 9 hours a total break of 45 minutes will be required.

All working time breaks can be split into periods of 15 minutes. A lorry driver must not work for more than 6 hours without a break.

You have a 9 hours daily driving limit, this can be increased to 10 hours twice a week.

Maximum of 56 hours weekly driving limit.

Maximum of 90 hours fortnightly driving limit.

Driver Hours Breaks

45 minutes break after 4.5 hours driving.

After a period of no more than 4.5 hours of driving you must immediately take a break of at least 45 minutes unless you are taking a rest period instead. The driving period can be continuous, or made up of shorter periods totalling 4 hours 30 minutes.

A break can be split into two periods (these are known as split breaks) the first break period being a minimum of 15 minutes and the following break a minimum of 30 minutes. These breaks must be completed after 4.5 hours driving.

Breaks of less than 15 minutes would not qualify as breaks, however they wouldn’t be classed as driving time either. The EU driver’s rules and regulations state that only split breaks that show the secondary period being 30 minutes or over will be allowed.

Regular daily rest period of 11 hours (This regular daily rest period may be taken in two periods, the first needing to be an uninterrupted period a minimum of 3 hours and the second an uninterrupted period of at least 9 hours, totalling a minimum of 12 hours.)

A HGV driver can reduce their daily rest period to a minimum of 9 hours uninterrupted, however they can only do this no more than three times a week. This is called a reduced daily rest period. Any rest period over 9 hours but under 11 hours will be classed as a reduced daily rest period.

Drivers’ hours weekly rest of 45 hours, which can be reduced to 24 hours, provided at least one full rest is taken in any fortnight. There should be no more than six consecutive 24 hour periods between weekly rests.

In summary if a HGV driver begins work at 7.00am on day 1 they must by 7.00am on day 2 have completed one of the following:

• A regular daily rest period of 11 hours uninterrupted
• A split regular daily rest period of 12 hours, taken in two separate periods, the first being a minimum of 3 hours and the second at least 9 hours
• A reduced daily rest period, only if entitled, of a minimum of 9 hours uninterrupted (but not over 11 hours)

Working Time (Including Driving)

Working time must not exceed an average of 48 hours a week, normally calculated over a rolling 17 week period, but can be extended to a 26 week period under a collective or workforce agreement.

Maximum working time of 60 hours in one week (provided average working time of 48 hours a week not exceeded, see above)

Maximum working time of 10 hours if night work performed. Again this can be extended under a collective or workforce agreement.

Working Time Breaks

It is important to note that EU driver’s hours break requirements take precedence over these breaks when driving, so be sure you are taking the correct break periods when combing driving with other work.

Cannot work for more than 6 hours without a break. A break should last a minimum of 15 minutes

30 minute break if working between 6 and 9 hours in total.

After working for 6 hours a mobile worker must take a break of 15 minutes. However, if working between 6 and up to 9 hours in a shift a mobile worker must take a break totalling a minimum of 30 minutes, this can be made up of two breaks of 15 minutes.

45 minute break if working more than 9 hours in total. If a shift contains more than 9 hours of working time a break period totalling 45 minutes is required.

Working Time Rest

The working time directive rest requirements are the same as the EU drivers hours rest rules.

How many hours can a HGV driver work in one day?

Although there is technically no daily limit to the amount of working time in one day (between rest periods), the rules for minimum daily rest of 9 hours (reduced daily rest period) in 24 hours basically means a lorry driver cannot have a working day of more than 15 hours for, at the most, three times between weekly rest periods. When a driver is on a full daily rest period of 11 hours the maximum working day is 13 hours.