Incident alert

Recently two contract haulier liveried vehicles have been involved in road traffic collisions and one that could have resulted in a major incident.

• A driver was returning to his yard after a night’s shift and despite driving well right up to the incident came off a road on a sharp bend, through a hedge ending up in a field

• Another driver felt unwell whilst driving on a motorway. As he was about to pull over passed out causing his vehicle to go across the motorway central reservation and ending up on the oncoming hard shoulder. Fortunately, there was no contact with any other vehicles or incidents because of this event.

Key Factors

• The drivers were used to operating their vehicles & no defects were on either vehicle
• Both drivers were not under any medication or felt fatigued at the time
• The drivers were experienced and not under any undue pressure to complete their loads
• The weather was not a contributory factor in either incident
• No injuries sustained as both drivers were wearing belts
• Both haulage contractors could demonstrate good policies and control of driving hours

• Hauliers to ensure that they have good medical reporting, fatigue and driving hours management processes in place, this protects them from incidents and any prosecutions


• Drivers should ensure that they take breaks if they feel tired or unwell, weighbridge/batchers should check in with their drivers if they look unfit or unwell


• Drivers to ensure that they check that they can still drive when taking medications and report it to their employers


• Hauliers to brief their drivers on the risks and hazards of this whilst driving and their company reporting requirements


• Hauliers to regularly check that cameras are recording and able to be downloaded – this provides third party witness of incidents and protects hauliers and drivers in accidents


• Use company or industry cards (MP Connect) that ensure drivers are approved to make deliveries to the site