Driver health and wellbeing: 7 fleet actions

The health and wellbeing of a fleet's drivers are fundamental to trouble-free transport operations.

These professionals face a range of challenges in their working hours, from long hours at the wheel that can lead to fatigue to joint and back problems resulting from this occupation. The constant risk of traffic accidents is also a reality for drivers.

Implementing actions that contribute to maintaining driver health and wellbeing is therefore a very important part of your fleet management. This will help avoid problems on routes and strengthen these professionals' engagement with your operations.

• The importance of wellbeing for drivers at work;
• Effects of driver health and wellbeing on work quality;
• How to promote health and wellbeing for fleet drivers.

The importance of fleet driver health and wellbeing

Ensuring the health and wellbeing of a fleet's drivers should be a pillar of your fleet management to ensure transport operations function and perform fully. These professionals are responsible for driving vehicles and delivering cargo and goods safely and efficiently.

For this, it is essential that they are in good physical and mental condition to face the demands of working hours on the road.

As a manager, one of your main responsibilities is to pay attention to drivers' health conditions. This involves the ability to identify behavior changes, apathy or persistent complaints of headaches and excessive tiredness.

These may be signs that something is wrong and the driver is facing health problems or discomfort at work.

It is worth emphasizing that driver health and wellbeing are not solely your responsibility: drivers also share responsibility for ensuring their own health and wellbeing while at work.

In other words, they should follow the instructions provided during road training on their routes, ensuring their own and the vehicle's safety. They should also communicate appropriately when experiencing fatigue symptoms, health problems or any other problems that may affect their ability to perform their duties safely.

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Effects of driver health and wellbeing on work quality

These professionals often spend most of their time at the wheel, making good health essential, especially in heavy vehicle fleets.

Neglecting driver health and wellbeing can have serious consequences. One of the main risks is an increase in accidents, endangering both the drivers themselves and other road users.

Lack of attention to these aspects can also affect routine activities such as vehicle inspection. Failing to perform these tasks properly can result in mechanical faults, delivery delays and additional maintenance costs.

Another worrying consequence is the use of stimulants, often illegal, in an attempt to overcome fatigue and other health problems. This practice not only increases accident risks but can also have serious legal repercussions for drivers and companies.

How can you promote health and wellbeing for fleet drivers?

Both physical and mental health matter, so you should have actions covering these different aspects.

Here are the main actions that promote fleet driver health and wellbeing:

1 – Promote a more predictable, healthier routine

A survey of truck driver profiles by CNT, Brazil's National Transport Confederation, shows that for drivers, whether self-employed or employed, the biggest negatives of their profession are insecurity, strain and compromised family life.

Problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes and repetitive strain injuries are also common among drivers.

Encouraging and applying a more predictable fleet routine therefore helps drivers gain more control over their schedules and personal routines, allowing them to better organize practices such as exercise and healthy eating.

2 – Encourage good driving practices

Good driving practices range from defensive driving to following traffic laws and respecting local road signs.

They also include other factors, such as avoiding road rage incidents and even maintaining correct posture in the seat. After all, these items also affect driver safety, health and wellbeing.

3 – Train drivers

Besides driving practices and how to handle risky situations, for example, it is important to provide training on lifestyle and how best to adapt to stay healthy amid busy transport operations.

Employees should also have emotional control, and providing training in this area is a sensible and very important action.

4 – Keep vehicles well maintained

Vehicles need to be in good condition, comfortable, free of unusual smells and noises, and operate without problems. Vehicles stopped on the road or accidents due to mechanical faults are not rare, but can easily be prevented through a preventive maintenance routine.

It is important for you, as a manager, to create a maintenance plan for your fleet and encourage drivers to do their part too, providing the appropriate means and practices.

5 – Establish efficient means of communication

Listening to what drivers have to say is just as important as instructing them on their tasks and responsibilities. Be open to criticism, complaints and suggestions.

To do this, implement an effective communication channel that facilitates and speeds up this communication as much as possible.

6 – Have a risk management plan

Fleet risk management is fundamental, and having a dedicated plan makes your operation as a whole safer. Both road accidents and workplace accidents can be prevented by an efficient, dedicated plan.

Other types of fleet safety risks can also be addressed and prevented, while already indicating the best way to act in unusual incidents.

Your risk management plan also serves as a basis for knowing what training to provide drivers, whether an accident simulation or another type of risky situation they may face.

7 – Use fleet monitoring tools

It is important to understand how the driver behaves on the road so you can talk to them directly and constructively. Technologies that provide information about acceleration, stops, stop duration, engine idling and other data can support this analysis when the fleet already uses this type of resource.

Other, more modern technologies, such as video telematics, can also help identify signs of tiredness at the wheel and serious risk situations. When a driver is sleepy while driving, safety guidance should prioritize leaving the road or stopping in a suitable place and resting until the driver is no longer sleepy, rather than trying to continue the trip with alerts alone.

Tip for the manager: pay attention to the Driver Law and its updates

Brazil's Driver Law (13.103, of 2015) defines rights and duties of road transport drivers. In 2023, Brazil's Federal Supreme Court (STF) ruled on constitutional review action ADI 5.322 and declared 11 provisions of the Truck Drivers' Law unconstitutional, especially on working hours, rest breaks and weekly rest.

The invalidated provisions include rules on waiting time, overtime calculation, splitting the minimum rest period and the possibility of resting while the vehicle is moving when two drivers work in shifts. In Brazil, rather than treating the law as a simple guide to ideal working hours, managers therefore need to keep up with its current interpretation and seek specialized guidance to apply working hours, rest and break controls in the fleet.

In addition to its importance for understanding how to better manage your fleet drivers and promote their health and wellbeing, you also need to stay informed about this Brazilian legislation to avoid fines and legal problems involving employees.

See this complete kit we prepared for your fleet management (in Portuguese) to comply with all provisions of Brazil's Driver Law, along with some resources for more efficient management—such as the trip and driver control spreadsheet.