Fit to drive
Before your journey, make a judgement on whether or not you are in a fit state to get behind the wheel of your vehicle.
If you are already tired before you set off, it is only likely to get worse throughout the course of your drive. Make sure that you have had a good night’s sleep before you start your journey so that you feel rested before you go.
Pick your time
Try to avoid driving on long journeys between midnight and 6am, as your body may be used to being asleep at these times, and you will naturally be tired.
If you are driving for business, it may be safer to drive to your destination a day earlier and book a hotel to get a good sleep in before your drive.
Know the rules
If you are feeling tired when you are driving and feel the need to pull over to have a quick sleep, you need to know where you can and can’t do so.
The highway code recommends taking a 15 minute break for every two hours that you are driving, but if you need to pull over for a quick nap, you need to know where it is suitable to do so. Whilst it isn’t an offence to sleep in your vehicle, it is more the location of where you decide to stop that can be problematic. For example, you wouldn’t normally stop on a hard shoulder or on double yellow lines, so neither of these places are suitable to stop for a sleep.
If you are driving on the motorway, it is best to wait for a service station to find somewhere to have a quick nap. However, some service stations have limits on how long you can stay, so make sure you check this before you doze off.
Drive share
If timing is important, have two drivers available to drive for a long trip if possible, so that if one feels as though they are getting tired, the other can take over, allowing drivers to have a rest.
This will minimise the amount of the time that the vehicle will be stopped for, allowing driving jobs to be completed quicker, whilst ensuring the safety of your drivers. You may find that because jobs can be completed quicker, you may be able to take on more work.