Drivers need to be alert at all times. Fatigue is a recognised danger for professional drivers, so working conditions are governed by assimilated (EU) rules. These set a maximum driving time and minimum requirements for rest and break periods. Setting limits on the length of time a driver can work combats fatigue and so helps road safety.

Assimilated (EU) drivers' hours regulations are a series of rules that specify maximum driving time and minimum rest and break periods. These rules are in place to help road safety. Drivers who break them are subject to heavy fines and could lose their licence to drive lorries.

Domestic rules apply to certain journeys within Great Britain that are not subject to assimilated (EU) rules. Under domestic rules you must keep a written record of your hours of duty when driving goods vehicles.

If you're using a vehicle equipped with an analogue tachograph, you'll need at least one chart for every 24 hours. Your employer should supply you with enough tachograph charts for your entire journey.

Your tachograph chart is a legal document; it's a record of your work covering a rolling 24-hour period. Drivers who break the rules are subject to heavy fines and could lose their vocational licence. Altering your tachograph chart with intent to deceive is against the law and could lead to a prison sentence. Similar penalties exist for those who permit such offences.

If your current tachograph chart becomes damaged, you should start another and then attach it to the damaged one. Your records must be clear and up to date at all times. It's sensible to carry more tachograph charts than you think you'll need for your journey. Then you'll be able to use a spare if one becomes dirty or damaged.

If your vehicle is likely to be used by another person while you're away from it, you should take your tachograph chart with you. Your break from driving should be entered on the reverse of the chart.

If you're driving under assimilated (EU) rules, you must not drive continuously for more than 4.5 hours without taking a break. If you've driven continuously for 4.5 hours, you must take a break of at least 45 minutes. Include your stops in the timetable when planning your journey.

During very cold weather, it's tempting to have the heating in the cab turned on full. Be aware that this may help to make you feel drowsy, especially after you've eaten a meal. Open the window slightly to let in some fresh air until it's safe for you to stop and rest.

If you become unwell, it will affect your ability to concentrate. You must be fully alert and ready for any hazards that might occur while you're driving. Stop in a safe place and call for help. You may have to call out a relief driver to complete the journey for you.

Be careful of giving lifts to strangers; some employers actively discourage it. Allowing strangers in your cab or telling people about your load could put the security of your vehicle and load at risk, and may put you in danger.

Theft of loads from commercial vehicles is a serious problem. You should take steps to safeguard your load when leaving the vehicle overnight. Simply parking with the rear doors close to another vehicle or a wall can act as an effective deterrent to thieves.

Both your load and your vehicle can be a target for thieves. Taking simple precautions, such as securing the windows and doors, can deter thieves and help keep yourself safe.

When carrying high-value goods, you can become a target for thieves. Avoid developing a set routine or pattern. Vary your routes whenever possible to make it difficult for thieves to predict when and where your cargo can be intercepted.

Theft of vehicles is common. You're responsible for the safety and security of your vehicle and trailer. Try to avoid leaving any trailer unattended unless it's on approved secure premises.

A kingpin or drawbar lock is a visible and effective deterrent to thieves wishing to steal an unattended trailer.

Before starting your journey, you must record a number of items on your tachograph chart. One of these is where the journey begins.

If you change vehicles during the working day, you should take your chart with you and use it in the next vehicle. This is not always possible, however, as charts produced by different manufacturers may not be interchangeable. In this case, you should use another chart, making sure that all the information for the day is recorded.

Load security is one of the many responsibilities of the driver. When choosing a site to park your vehicle overnight, you should always look for a location that's legal and well lit. Many allocated lorry parks are patrolled by the police or security firms.

Make sure you have enough rest before you start a night shift. Driving at night can be tiring and you must be able to stay alert for the whole of your shift. Making sure that there's enough fresh air in the cab can help you to stay alert. Stale, warm air can dull your senses and cause drowsiness.

You're responsible for your vehicle, so you should reduce the risk of it being stolen. Plan any lengthy stops for places where your vehicle will be safest, such as a well-lit rest stop at night. Also have an alarm and immobiliser fitted to the vehicle by a security specialist.

High-value cargoes are often targeted by thieves. Operators are recommended to seek advice from their local crime-prevention officer to help prevent their vehicles and loads from being stolen.

A driver's week is defined as a period from 00.00 hours on Monday to 24.00 hours the following Sunday.

If you cannot return to base within a week of the tachograph becoming defective, it must be repaired during the journey. While it's broken, you must keep a manual record.

The driver must take responsibility and follow the drivers' hours and tachograph rules. Failure to do so can result in legal action and penalties - such as a fine.

Make sure you carry enough approved tachograph charts for your journey. Store your spare charts in a plastic wallet to keep them clean and undamaged.

If the tachograph on your vehicle becomes faulty, you should take it to an approved tachograph repairer as soon as possible. If you cannot return to your base within a week of finding the fault, it must be repaired while you're away. While the tachograph is faulty or broken, you must keep a manual record of your activities.

When an enforcement officer keeps a record chart, the driver should ask the officer to sign the back of the replacement chart. They'll need to give their name, telephone number and the number of charts they've kept. The replacement chart must be used to continue the journey. You should always carry more blank charts than you think you'll need.

If your records are kept by an enforcement officer, you should ask the officer to endorse the replacement charts with their name and telephone number. The enforcement officer should also record the number of charts they keep. Alternatively, they can give you a receipt for the charts.

Your employer should supply enough approved charts for your journey. They should include spares in case any get damaged or are taken by an authorised inspecting officer.

It's essential that you do not become drowsy through driving for excessively long periods. Assimilated (EU) rules are in place to prevent this. You must take a break after a maximum of 4.5 hours of continuous driving. Your work details must be available for inspection by enforcement staff. Make sure that you know the rules for the journey and the type of vehicle you're driving.

You must take an uninterrupted break of 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving. This break may be replaced by 2 shorter breaks of at least 15 and 30 minutes, taken in that order, during the 4.5 hours. During any break, you must not drive or do any other work.

You're allowed to extend your daily driving time twice a week, to 10 hours a day. A 'day' is generally any 24-hour period that starts when you begin driving (or other work) again, after the last daily or weekly rest period.

Under assimilated (EU) rules, you must have a minimum daily rest of 11 consecutive hours. A reduced daily rest period is any period of rest of at least 9 hours, but less than 11 hours.

Under assimilated (EU) rules, you must have a minimum daily rest of 11 consecutive hours. However, you may reduce this to 9 hours up to 3 times between weekly rest periods.

Drivers' hours and rest periods are controlled in the interests of road safety. A driver's daily rest period should normally be 11 hours, but this may be reduced to 9 hours up to 3 times between weekly rest periods. It's a serious offence to break these rules and anyone doing so is liable to a heavy fine and even imprisonment.

The working week is defined as from 00.00 hours on Monday to 24.00 hours on the following Sunday. When taking the weekly rest period, a daily rest period must normally be extended to at least 45 consecutive hours.

Your tachograph chart is your personal work record and should only reflect the hours that you drive or do other work. The law says that these charts should be held on file by your employer for at least one year. Enforcement officers can ask for charts to be handed over for inspection.

You may only record a break when you're not doing any other type of work. You're allowed to take a break on a double-manned vehicle while the other crew member is driving, but any break must be a minimum of 15 minutes.

The tachograph is a tool designed to help you be a safe and responsible driver. The tachograph records details of your journey, including time driven, speed and rest periods.

A tachograph allows you to select the mode or task that you're undertaking. Time spent on that task is then recorded automatically. Each task has a different symbol. You need to know the meaning of each, so that your records are correct. The modes are: driving, doing other work, on duty and available for work, and taking a break or rest.

Each activity has a different symbol. You should know what they mean, so that you can select the correct one. You're responsible for recording all your activities correctly. Some tachographs do not have a 'driving' mode switch. These tachographs will automatically record driving time whenever the vehicle is moved, whatever mode the switch is set to.

As you change activities during the day, you should change the mode switch on the tachograph to record each activity. Failure to operate the mode switch could get you into trouble with your employer or the authorities.

If you've driven a total of 56 hours in any one week, you can only drive for 34 hours in the following week. Keep your own record to make sure that you do not exceed these hours.

In an emergency, you may exceed the drivers' hours rules. As long as road safety is not put at risk, you can drive for longer to deliver your passengers, your vehicle or its load to safety. In these circumstances, you should note all the reasons on the back of your tachograph chart.

Tiredness will affect your concentration. Do not allow yourself to become tired through not taking proper breaks or rest periods. As a professional driver, you have a responsibility either for goods or for passengers, as well as for overall road safety. Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, so you do not become drowsy between rest periods.

If you start to feel tired, you should stop as soon as it's safe to do so, even if you’re not due a break. Make sure that you get enough sleep before you're due to work, especially if you're on an early shift.

Most incidents happen as a result of a lapse in concentration. Do not let this happen to you. If you start to feel tired, you will not perform as well as you should. Your reactions will slow down, and your anticipation and judgement of hazards will become flawed. If you feel tired, stop and rest as soon as it's safe to do so.

If you're driving for long distances on a motorway, have plenty of rest stops. Many incidents have been caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. If you feel yourself becoming tired, you need to leave the motorway and find a safe place to stop; usually this would be the next service area.

Travelling long distances on a motorway can be boring. Looking at the same thing for a long period of time can make you feel tired and affect your concentration. If you start to feel tired, leave the motorway by the next exit and stop in a safe place to rest. Ideally you should use a service area, where you can rest and take some refreshment before you restart your journey.

Take all the precautions you can to remove opportunities for theft. Lock your vehicle, especially when making deliveries and leaving the vehicle unattended.

The maximum driving period under assimilated (EU) rules is 4 hours 30 minutes. After this, you must take a break of at least 45 minutes. Planning your route will allow you to take your statutory rest periods in a safe place, such as a service area, where you can get food, drink and a rest.

You're permitted to extend the daily limit of 9 hours to 10 hours twice a week. Do not drive for more than the maximum hours allowed, as you risk a heavy fine and may lose your licence.

Under assimilated (EU) rules, your normal daily driving time must not exceed 9 hours. This nine-hour period is defined as the time between • any 2 daily rest periods, or • a daily rest period and a weekly rest period. You're allowed to extend these hours to 10 hours twice a week.

The driver card will record information covering a period of about 28 days. If you use it beyond this period, some of the recorded information will be overwritten.

Under assimilated (EU) regulations, you must take a break of at least 45 minutes after 4.5 hours of driving. You may choose to take this break during the driving period. In this case, it can be split into 2 breaks of at least 15 and 30 minutes, taken in that order.

As a professional driver, you have a responsibility to report any loss or theft of your driver card. You must inform the nearest relevant authority within 7 days.

Digital tachograph driver cards are valid for a maximum of 5 years. You should receive a reminder about 3 months before the expiry date. However, it's your responsibility to make sure that you apply for a new card at least 15 days before the old one expires.

Driver cards for digital tachographs are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in Swansea. In Northern Ireland, the cards are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency. Tell them if your card is lost or stolen.

Driver cards for digital tachographs are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. In Northern Ireland, the cards are issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency. They can send you a replacement card, for a fee.

Assimilated (EU) drivers' hours regulations say that any driver who fails to comply with, or obstructs, an enforcement officer in the course of their duties can face an unlimited fine.

Altering drivers' hours records or tampering with a tachograph with intent to deceive is a criminal offence. You, and anyone else involved, could go to prison. You could also lose your licence.

The rules define a week as a period between 00.00 hours on Monday and 24.00 hours the following Sunday. You must make sure that you do not exceed any weekly driving limit.

In Great Britain, a replacement driver card can only be obtained from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). In Northern Ireland, they're available from the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).

The driver's employer is responsible for the issue of tachograph charts. The driver must make sure that the correct information is recorded on the chart.

An analogue tachograph must be checked every 2 years and recalibrated every 6 years. A plaque on or near the tachograph will show when it was last checked.

When an analogue tachograph is installed and calibrated, an installation plaque is fixed near the tachograph. This shows the date of the most recent tachograph calibration. Under assimilated (EU) rules, this must take place every 6 years.

When changing vehicles, you should also record certain pieces of information, including the closing odometer reading, the registration number of the new vehicle, the odometer start reading and the time of the vehicle change.

Under assimilated (EU) rules, the maximum number of hours that you can drive in any 2 consecutive weeks is 90 hours. These do not have to be split evenly, but the total amount of driving time in any one week must not exceed 56 hours. Do not exceed your driving hours; heavy fines can be given to drivers who break the law.

An analogue tachograph must be checked every 2 years and recalibrated and sealed every 6 years. This must be done at an approved calibration centre. Digital tachographs, unlike analogue ones, must be recalibrated every 2 years.

If you're driving a bus on a day trip (that is, not a regular journey) and your vehicle has 18 or more seats, you must use assimilated (EU) rules and record the details.

After a driving for a period of no more than 4.5 hours, you must take a break of at least 45 minutes, which must not be interrupted. If you're carrying passengers, they'll probably also be grateful for a break. Taking breaks at the correct time will keep you and your passengers safe and comfortable.

Some vehicles are fitted with sleeping accommodation for the driver. If your vehicle has this facility, you're allowed to take your daily rest period there, provided your vehicle is stationary.

If you're asked to leave your vehicle by an official who’s not in uniform, ask to see their warrant card. The official is likely to be an enforcement or police officer, but do not presume this.

Make sure that your vehicle is safe whenever you leave it unattended. Always stop the engine and apply the parking brake.

Operators of buses used for regular journeys of more than 50 km must use tachographs.