For commercial fleet managers and drivers in the UK, understanding tachograph regulations is crucial for ensuring compliance with legal requirements and maintaining road safety. Tachographs, whether digital or analogue, are essential tools for recording driving time, breaks, and rest periods.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to UK tachograph regulations and what you need to know about tachograph calibration, digital tachographs, and analogue tachographs.
What are tachographs?
Tachographs are devices fitted to commercial vehicles to record various aspects of the driver’s work. They monitor driving time, speed, and distance, ensuring drivers comply with regulations designed to prevent fatigue and promote road safety.
There are two main types of tachographs: digital and analogue.
- Digital Tachographs: These are the modern standard and have been mandatory for vehicles registered after May 1, 2006. Digital tachographs store data electronically on a driver’s card and in the vehicle unit. They provide precise and tamper-evident records, which are easier to analyse and manage.
- Analogue Tachographs: These older devices record data on paper discs. Although still in use, they are being gradually phased out in favour of digital systems due to their susceptibility to tampering and less efficient data management.
Driver responsibilities
Drivers using either type of tachograph must adhere to specific responsibilities:
- Using the Correct Mode: Drivers must correctly use the mode switch to record different types of activities (e.g., driving, rest, and other work).
- Inserting the Driver Card: For digital tachographs, drivers must insert their digital driver card before starting their journey and remove it at the end.
- Recording Activities: Drivers must record their activities accurately and ensure the data is up-to-date.
- Carrying Records: Drivers using analogue tachographs must carry enough record sheets for the current week and the previous 28 days. For digital tachographs, drivers should carry their driver’s card and any printouts made during the last 28 days.
- Making Printouts: In case of a digital tachograph malfunction, drivers must make a printout, mark it with their details, and keep it as a manual record.
Employer responsibilities
Employers also have significant responsibilities under tachograph regulations:
- Ensuring Calibration: Employers must ensure that all vehicles are calibrated correctly and that calibration certificates are up to date.
- Training Drivers: Employers should provide adequate training to drivers on the correct use of tachographs.
- Regular Downloading and Storage: Data from digital tachographs and driver cards should be downloaded regularly (at least every 90 days for vehicle units and 28 days for driver cards) and stored securely for at least one year.
- Monitoring Compliance: Employers should actively monitor and manage drivers’ hours to ensure compliance with regulations.
To ensure you stay compliant, get in touch with Transcare today for tachograph calibration and much more.
