Driver Wellbeing: Supporting Your Fleet's Mental and Physical Health

The wellbeing of drivers is often overlooked, yet it’s a critical factor in fleet safety, productivity, and legal compliance. At Grosvenor Leasing, we understand that supporting driver wellbeing isn’t just good practice, it’s essential for your business.

Do You Know How Your Drivers Are Feeling?

Consider these concerning statistics:

Stressed – 17.1 million working days were lost to stress, depression or anxiety in Great Britain in 2022/23. Source: Health & Safety Executive Labour Force Study
Tired – 10%-20% of all collisions worldwide are estimated to be caused by driver fatigue. Source: Brake Road Safety Charity
Dehydrated – 70% of drivers say work pressures severely impact their ability to drink enough water and keep to a healthy diet. Source: Driving for Better Business Van Driver Toolkit
Unfit – 56% of van drivers consider themselves overweight. Source: Driving for Better Business Van Driver Toolkit
Suicidal – The suicide rate for van drivers is 25% higher than the national average. Source: Office for National Statistics

3 Reasons Why Driver Wellbeing Matters

1. Safety

Drivers who are stressed or fatigued are more likely to make errors or be distracted, which could lead to an incident. Tired drivers are in danger of having a microsleep while driving and could travel 200 metres without knowing it. In fact, driving when tired is thought to be as potentially dangerous as drink-driving.

2. Cost

Poor mental health among employees costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year, according to analysis by Deloitte. On the flipside, Deloitte suggests a return of £5 for every £1 spent on employee mental health. Among the positive benefits are increased productivity and employee retention.

3. Legal

Health and Safety legislation means you owe a duty of care to at-work drivers and other road users who may be affected by their actions. You are expected to consider risks around fatigue, distraction, lone working and time pressures – not setting driver schedules which may cause them to break speed limits.

The DVLA needs to be informed if a driver has been diagnosed with certain mental health conditions or if they have a condition which affects their ability to drive. The onus is on the driver to report this to the DVLA but as an employer you need to make sure they are aware of their responsibility.

Warning Signs: Identifying Poor Mental Health in Drivers

Look out for these potential indicators that a driver may be suffering from poor mental health:

Behaviour – Does your telematics data show a sudden change in their behaviour behind the wheel?
Absence – Are they absent from work more often?
Performance – Has their performance at work dipped?
Incidents – Has their incident rate gone up?
Reliability – Are they late for work and unreliable?

This is not an exhaustive list, and further guidance can be found in the resources section at the end of this article.

How to support driver wellbeing

1. Build relationships with drivers

Find ways to connect with drivers, especially lone drivers or remote workers so they don’t feel isolated and are able to discuss issues with their line manager or another member of staff when they need to.

2. Set realistic driver schedules

Avoid putting drivers under pressure by planning schedules which give them time for adequate rest breaks.

3. Make sure policies are understood

A driver handbook or driving at work policy means nothing if drivers haven’t read and understood it. It’s best to communicate verbally as well on issues, such as what to do if they feel tired.

4. Train employees in mental health

Having dedicated mental health first aiders or mental health champions can help create a positive work experience and provide support for employees, alongside your HR department.

5. Provide resources

Driving for Better Business and charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) have created driver information packs, containing a flyer and stickers to go inside commercial vehicles. These increase awareness regarding CALM’s free and confidential helpline and webchat.

6. Offer an employee assistance programme (EAP)

This typically includes face-to-face, telephone or online counselling so employees can speak to a professional in confidence through an EAP provider.

7. Introduce health screenings

This could include: completing a health questionnaire, blood and urine tests, blood pressure checks, and mobility, hearing and eye assessments. This may uncover a problem that neither you or the employee was aware of and allow them to address it.

8. Utilise technology

In-cab cameras can spot the signs of a driver being drowsy and alert them that they need to take a break, while telematics data can make you aware of any concerning patterns in driver behaviour.

9. Consult with drivers

Before introducing any new policies or technologies, try to consult with drivers and involve them in the decision-making process so they don’t feel anxious or stressed about the changes.

10. Offer employee health benefits

Consider offering discounts on gym membership, or access to courses which may help with mental health such as mindfulness or yoga.

11. Promote healthy food

Provide free fruit and healthy snacks at depots or offices and offer advice on the benefits of having a balanced diet full of vegetables and nutrients.

12. Recognise and reward employees

Help to keep staff feeling positive and motivated by celebrating work anniversaries, introducing an employee of the month award or another form of recognition.