Fatigue at the wheel is a genuine problem in road transport. The European Transport Workers' Federation, short ETF, is therefore mobilizing across Europe on June 21.
More than 60 percent of surveyed truck drivers reported that they regularly continue driving despite feeling tired. Around one in three has even fallen asleep at the wheel at some point.
While there are regulations regarding driving and rest periods, in practice, traffic jams, time pressure, long waiting times at ramps, and a lack of parking spaces add to the issue.
Waiting four hours at a customer's site means that the driver has not been on the road, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are well-rested.
The ETF is therefore calling for better controls and, above all, realistic working conditions. Routes must be planned in such a way that breaks are genuinely possible.