Clean, safe and secure parking and welfare facilities are essential for the highly mobile, cross-border sector to operate effectively. The scarcity of rest areas disproportionately affects women and young drivers and those in NSFE. These groups are not only more likely to experience a lack of sanitation or welfare facilities but also lack the financial resources to cover the costs of secure rest areas.
The absence of these facilities poses a significant risk to the human rights and safety of those working in road transport global supply chains. Many truck drivers are required to take rest breaks or overnight stops in locations lacking basic sanitation, lighting, security, and access to food and water. Insecure parking areas increase exposure to theft, violence and harassment, while poor hygiene facilities can have serious consequences for health, dignity and well-being. These issues are particularly prevalent along major transport corridors, in border regions, and near logistics hubs, where demand for parking far exceeds supply.
Inadequate parking infrastructure can also undermine compliance with working time and rest rules. When drivers cannot find suitable places to rest, they may delay or skip legally required breaks, extend their driving time or park in unsafe or unauthorised locations. This increases the risk of fatigue-related accidents, which has an impact on public safety and business continuity. Women drivers are particularly vulnerable in insecure or poorly designed parking areas, especially where facilities do not consider gender-specific safety and sanitation requirements.
A critical sanitation risk, particularly for women drivers, is the practice of 'intentional dehydration', whereby drivers stop drinking water to avoid the need to use a restroom when safe and accessible facilities are unavailable. This significantly increases the risk of chronic kidney issues, heatstroke and impaired cognitive function.
These risks are not confined to public roads; they are also common at logistics hubs and customer sites, where drivers can be denied access to basic facilities while waiting to load or unload. Such exclusions force drivers to engage in 'intentional dehydration' to avoid the need to use these facilities, which directly compromises their renal health and cognitive focus.