You should report to work for all work activities including driving duties.
If you are not fit for work, it is your responsibility to inform your manager. You should inform your employer about any health issue or personal circumstances that may affect your driving (your employer may require this).
It is important to remember that your fitness to drive can be negatively affected by:
Fatigue
Alcohol
Drugs [over the counter, prescription or illicit]
Temporary illness
A medical condition
Daily stress events
Fatigue
Fatigue is a major contributory cause of fatal and serious injury vehicle collisions and incidents. Thousands of crashes are caused by tired drivers. They are usually severe because a sleeping driver cannot brake or take avoidance action, so the impact generally occurs at high speed. Fatigue related collisions often result in very serious injuries or death.
You are most likely to feel sleepy when driving:
On long journeys on monotonous roads
Between 2am and 6am
Between 2pm and 4pm
After having less sleep than normal
After drinking alcohol
After taking medicines which cause drowsiness
On journeys home after night shifts
On journeys after a very long working day
Measures to take to tackle fatigue:
Reduce road journeys
Avoid the most dangerous times; e.g. at night, poor weather conditions etc.
Reduce your driving time
Make sure you are well rested
Stop if you feel tired
Discuss any concerns with a Ryde representative
Medical Conditions
Common conditions, such as colds, flu, migraine, stomach upsets, hay fever, etc. can affect your ability to drive safely. For example, the symptoms of a cold (headache, blocked sinuses, sneezing, and tiredness) if severe enough can impair your concentration, reactions and judgment.
Drivers can be tempted to ‘soldier’ on, when it would be safer, not to drive until they are feeling better. If you start to feel ill while driving, stop the vehicle somewhere safe. If the condition is not serious, you may feel well enough to continue after a short break, a warm drink or taking some medication. But if you find your concentration is affected, then you should make other arrangements to continue your journey.
If you think that you are unfit to drive for any reason, do not drive. Contact a Ryde representative to explain and allow alternative arrangements to be made.
Eyesight
You should have your eyes tested regularly. Have them examined at least every 2 years or as advised by an optometrist or a qualified dispensing optician.
If you do have to wear glasses for driving, make sure to always wear them when driving and keep the lenses clean and scratch free. Carry a spare pair on your person.
We also advise you carry a pair of sunglasses in your vehicle [even in the winter] in case they are needed.
Daily Stress Events
Stressors are generated by day-to-day events, e.g. work related issues, relationship difficulties, financial matters and family matters. It is important to manage these stress events in order to minimise their impact on your driving. Contact a Ryde Representative to discuss any stress events that could have a negative impact on your driving.