New Driving Standards for commercial vehicle drivers

19th October 2012

New frameworks setting out the competences expected of commercial vehicle drivers have been published by the Driving Standards Agency, defining the skills, knowledge and understanding required to drive these vehicles safely and responsibly.

The DSA worked with the haulage and passenger transport industries to develop these and they address specific issues such as the use of tachographs and the dangers of continuous driving.

The National Driving Standard Category C™ (lorry) and National Driving Standard Category D™ (bus and coach) outline what drivers need to know, understand and be able to do in areas such as:

• Preparing a vehicle and its occupants for a journey.
• Guiding and controlling a vehicle.
• Using the road in accordance with the Highway Code.
• Driving safely and responsibly in the traffic system.
• Reviewing and adjusting driver behaviour over a lifetime.

“The publication of these Standards will help to ensure that all bus and lorry drivers acquire the right skills, knowledge and attitude to use our roads safely and responsibly, as well as contributing to cutting the human and financial cost of road accidents,” Rosemary Thew, the DSA chief executive, said.

The Standards build on National Driving Standard Category B™ that defines safe and responsible driving for car and light van drivers and should form the basis of training that a lorry, bus or coach driver receives.  This includes both the training that drivers complete to professionally (Driver CPC) and training for those who don’t drive for a living.