Fitness to Drive Heavy Haulage Vehicles
The National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (https://www.nhvr.gov.au/safety-accreditation-compliance/national-heavy-vehicle-accreditation-scheme) sets out standards to support improved safety in heavy vehicle industry. Specifically, the standard requires drivers to:
- undergo regular health assessments to check if they meet the medical criteria
- a focus on sleep disorders
- check on substance abuse
Employers may request these health assessments to ensure that all drivers are medically fit and competent to perform their duties.
Health conditions that may affect a Heavy Haulage Truck driver’s ability include:
- Vision problems
- Heart disease
- Sleep disorders
- Diabetes
- Psychiatric disorders
- Neurological disorders
- Age-related declines
For more information about Assessing Fitness to Drive standards for commercial vehicle drivers, visit the Austroads website (https://austroads.com.au/).
