1) Daily and fortnightly driving limits

2) Required rest breaks and the amount of rest required on a daily and weekly basis

3) Emergencies and exemptions

According to the directive, drivers are limited to nine hours driving a day followed by at least 11 hours rest. Additionally, drivers may only drive 4.5 hours continuously before having a 45 minute break. At the end of the week, a compulsory 45 hour break must be taken.

And as if that wasn't difficult enough to manage, each of these limits can be changed in certain situations - for example, driving continuously for ten hours is permitted twice a week, the daily rest period can be cut to a minimum of nine hours three times a week and weekly rest can be reduced to 36 hours if it is taken where the driver is normally based.

All these rules, variations and exceptions make keeping accurate records of your drivers' activity absolutely vital - particularly since failing to do this could expose you to corporate manslaughter charges.

For more information about Driver’s Hours Rules, visit the DFT website.