Driver fatigue
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yet again. Road Safety Kinister Stephen Norris has demonstrated how totally out of touch he is with the real world of the Road Haulage industry ("DOT Advises drivers on Ways to Beat Fatigue", CM 7-13 September 1995).
Within the TGWU we are, of course, only too aware of the constant dangers caused by fatigue among drivers and this was highlighted by the recently published TGWU Whitelegg Report into the health of professional drivers.
However, the DOT guidelines place all the responsibility upon the driver and pre-suppose a degree of control by the driver which simply does not exist.
I have no doubt that drivers would be delighted to have a break of 15 minutes every two hours: avoid journeys between 2am and 6am and stop and have a nap for 15 minutes when they feel like it, but we all know that if they followed those guidelines they would very quickly find themselves out of a job.
The only way to combat this problem and to take the pressure off professional drivers is to introduce tougher laws and proper policing of the laws.
So, come on Mr Norris, the sooner you embrace the TGWU policy of a maximum 10-hour working day with no more than eight hours behind the wheel, the better.
Jenny Sandle, District Officer; TGWU South West.