Measures used by drivers to counter fatigue include turning up the radio, opening windows, and increasing the air-conditioning, however none of these methods are deemed effective, and instead research has shown the only suitable actions for a driver are to stop the vehicle in a safe place, drink at least 150mg of caffeine and have a 15 minute nap. By giving such an early warning on fatigue, the DD850 enables the driver to take these required steps before the condition becomes dangerous.
The area of driver safety is now attracting far more attention amongst companies with the recent introduction of new legislation being viewed as an opportunity for employers to think again about how risks are managed. The UK Corporate Manslaughter Act will make it easier to prosecute organisations if their negligence leads to a death. Previously organisations could only be prosecuted if a failure could be attributed to a ‘controlling mind’. From April 2008 an organisation will be guilty of the new offence if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a death and amounts to a gross breach of a ‘duty of care’ to the person killed.
