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The new ‘unfit to drive’ duty is now in force—what does it mean for operators?
Since 1 August 2026, the HVNL’s unfit-to-drive duty has applied to drivers of all heavy vehicles over 4.5 tonnes—not only fatigue-regulated vehicles—and Chain of Responsibility parties must not cause or encourage unsafe driving.
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How do Electronic Work Diaries (EWDs) work under the HVNL?
An Electronic Work Diary is an NHVR-approved electronic system that a driver can choose to use instead of a written work diary to record required work and rest information.
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What is ACA–Fatigue?
ACA–Fatigue is the HVA alternative compliance pathway for operators that need approved work and rest hours different from Standard Hours and can demonstrate effective fatigue-risk controls through an audited system.
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What is the Unfit to Drive duty?
A person must not drive a heavy vehicle on a road while impaired by fatigue or otherwise not of sufficiently good health or fitness to drive it safely.
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How do Standard Hours and 24-hour counting periods work?
Under Standard Hours, a solo driver must satisfy every applicable short and long counting period, including no more than 12 hours work and at least seven continuous hours stationary rest in any applicable 24-hour period.
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When is a National Driver Work Diary required?
A fatigue-regulated heavy-vehicle driver generally must keep and carry a work diary when undertaking 100+km work under Standard Hours, having done so in the previous 28 days, or working under alternative compliance or exemption hours.
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When do the heavy-vehicle fatigue rules apply?
The HVNL work, rest and fatigue-record rules apply when a person drives a fatigue-regulated heavy vehicle: generally a vehicle or combination above 12 tonnes, or a qualifying heavy bus.
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What is Assessing Fitness to Drive?
Assessing Fitness to Drive is the national medical-standards and guidance publication used by health professionals and driver-licensing authorities when assessing whether a person is medically fit to drive.
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AFTD Review: Industry Must Speak Up Before the Questions Are Written
With Australia’s medical fitness-to-drive standards under review and no draft rules yet written, operators, industry bodies, medical experts and other stakeholders have a rare chance to influence the questions policymakers ask before the answers are locked in. So far, the silence has been deafening.