Insufficient daily rest is considered a critical safety violation under EU Regulation (EC) 561/2006. It occurs when a driver fails to complete the mandatory continuous rest period within a 24-hour cycle, leading to severe financial penalties and a high risk of fatigue-related accidents.
In many cases, this violation is a direct "ripple effect" of Daily Driving Time Exceedance. Since the 24-hour window is fixed, any delay in finishing the driving shift automatically compresses the time available for rest.
Daily Rest Requirements: Normal vs. Reduced
Daily rest is legally defined as a period where the driver is at their total disposal. The 24-hour cycle resets the moment a driver begins work after a previous daily or weekly rest.
Normal Daily Rest
A continuous period of at least 11 hours.
Split Option: Can be taken in two periods: a first period of at least 3 hours followed by
a second of at least 9 hours (12 hours total).
Reduced Daily Rest
A period of at least 9 hours but less than 11 hours.
Limit: Drivers are strictly allowed only three reduced rests
between any two weekly rest periods.
Common Triggers for Infringements
The digital tachograph records a violation in the .DDD file under the following conditions:
- Time Deficiency: Completing less than 9 hours of rest within the 24-hour window.
- Frequency Breach: Taking a 4th reduced rest within the same week.
- Interruption: Recording "Driving" or "Other Work" during the rest (often categorized as Incorrect Use).
- Multi-manning Error: Failing to complete 9 hours of rest within a 30-hour window for double crews.
Penalty Severity & ERRU Impact
Sanctions are scaled based on the percentage of missing rest time. These impact the company's Risk Rating System:
| Missing Time | Category | Typical Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 hour | Minor (MI) | Moderate financial fine. |
| 1 to 2 hours | Serious (SI) | High fine + Operator Risk increase. |
| More than 2 hours | Very Serious (VSI) | Maximum fine + Vehicle Immobilisation. |
Prevention Strategy: Automated Monitoring
Manual tracking of the "three reduced rests per week" rule is the leading cause of errors. Modern fleet management requires predictive intelligence to avoid Accumulated Infringements.
By utilizing the TachoTools Compliance Dashboard, transport managers can visualize:
Shift Expiry Alerts
Knowing exactly when a shift must end to respect the rest window.
Reduction Counter
Live tracking of used 9-hour slots to prevent the 4th violation.
Pre-Audit Analysis
Cleaning TGD records before an inspection.
Is Your Fleet Resting Correctly?
A single miscalculated hour can trigger a Very Serious Infringement (VSI). Protect your license with real-time analysis.
Compliance Quick Links