What should an HGV fit-to-drive policy cover?

Define fitness broadly

Fitness can be affected by a medical condition, a change in symptoms, prescription or non-prescription medicine, eyesight, injury, alcohol, drugs, fatigue, stress or a short-term illness. The policy should focus on whether the person can drive safely, not only whether a named diagnosis appears on a form.

Drivers should understand their personal duty to follow DVLA notification rules and seek appropriate medical advice. Managers should not attempt to make a clinical diagnosis themselves.

Make reporting safe and immediate

Give the driver a confidential route to report a concern before duty and during a shift. Make clear that they must not start or continue driving if they reasonably believe they are unsafe.

The process should avoid encouraging concealment. Separate the operational question—whether the person can safely carry out the duty—from unnecessary collection or discussion of detailed medical information.

• who receives a confidential report
• what the driver must do before starting work
• how to stop safely if a concern develops on the road
• who decides whether the assignment is paused
• when occupational-health or medical advice is needed
• how a return-to-driving decision is recorded

Use declarations at sensible control points

A declaration can support onboarding, periodic review, return after relevant absence and a triggered review after new information. It should ask clear questions the driver can answer and remind them to report changes between formal declarations.

Do not present a completed form as proof that the driver will remain fit throughout the period. Daily self-assessment and immediate reporting still matter.

Respond consistently to a concern

Pause the driving duty where the available information does not support a safe decision. Consider whether non-driving work is suitable while advice or licensing information is obtained, but do not pressure the person to drive to avoid disruption.

Record the restriction, referral or evidence needed, the person responsible for follow-up and the conditions for any return. Where the driving licence or entitlement may be affected, complete the appropriate live licence check before reauthorising work.

Protect health information

Health information needs tighter access than ordinary operational records. Collect only what the company needs, restrict who can view it, use a defined retention approach and avoid placing sensitive detail in general driver notes or shared messages.

The operational authorisation record can state a restriction or outcome without exposing the diagnosis to people who do not need it. Align the process with the company privacy notice and data-protection arrangements.