EU Cracks Down on Small-Truck Fatigue as Fatigued Drivers Top Safety List
Published on 07/03/2026 at 04:24 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Fatigue, stress, and distraction are now the leading causes of freight-vehicle accidents, according to the Dekra Verkehrssicherheitsreport 2026. The German inspection agency is calling for stricter enforcement of rest periods and more truck parking spaces. While the report spotlights human factors, regulators are turning to technology to fill the gap. As of 1 July 2026, a new phase of the EU Mobility Package took effect, requiring all commercial cross-border goods transport in vehicles weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes to be fitted with second-generation smart tachographs.
These devices continuously record driving and rest times as well as cabotage operations. Driver cards and systematic data logging are now mandatory. Only purely domestic transport and specific exemptions for tradespeople fall outside the rule. The goal is to eliminate black spots in enforcement that have long allowed small fleets to slip through regulatory cracks.
Stricter enforcement of rest rules and safety compliance isn’t limited to driving hours — UK companies also face growing scrutiny over their health & safety documentation. Many lack the risk assessments and checklists needed to prove compliance during inspections. A free toolkit provides ready-to-use templates covering the Health & Safety at Work Act, COSHH, and more, helping you stay ahead of regulatory demands. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit
A day later, on 2 July, TÜV launched a seminar series aimed at helping fleet managers achieve legal certainty. The training focuses on DGUV 70 certification, a standard critical for liability prevention in German companies. Courses cover cost optimisation, car policy design, and the requirements of electric mobility. Prices range from €590 to €2,740, depending on the depth of the programme. Experts involved say sustainable fleet management depends on merging legal protection with technical innovation.
Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge is meanwhile betting on telematics to prevent breakdowns before they happen. In cooperation with Connected Cars A/S, the manufacturer has begun equipping vehicles with predictive-diagnostic hardware that lets dealers spot maintenance needs early. The rollout will stretch over five years, with services phased in across European markets. Other players, such as Infleet GmbH, are also pushing cloud-based solutions and GPS tracking to cut empty runs and automate electronic logbooks.
As hardware and software upgrade, environmental metrics are moving centre stage. The Austrian fleet association Fuhrparkverband Austria now offers a tool called “mobiliti” that calculates total cost of ownership and CO2 balances. From April 2026, the CountEmissionsEU regulation sets new standards for emissions reporting, followed by the ETS II trading system in 2028. Industry alliances like the KEP Wirtschaftsdienst have already procured over 600 battery-electric vehicles at preferential terms, combining financial incentives with test fleets to prove that electric mobility works in daily logistics.
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