New Fatigue Driving Rules Take Effect June 1: Duration Alone No Longer Decisive

Starting June 1, the Ministry of Public Security’s "Rules for Identifying Fatigued Driving by Motor Vehicle Drivers" (GA/T 2372-2026) will be implemented nationwide. The new regulation moves away from solely relying on driving duration to determine fatigue and introduces a three-dimensional assessment standard combining "driving behavior + physiological state + daily activity patterns." A driver will be deemed fatigued if any one of the following conditions is met: - A regular driver operates a vehicle continuously for more than four hours without taking a break, or takes a break lasting less than 20 minutes; - A commercial passenger vehicle driver operates continuously for over two hours between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. without rest, or accumulates more than eight hours of driving within a 24-hour period. Additionally, in the event of a traffic accident, if the driver had the opportunity to take evasive action but failed to do so—and monitoring devices, interviews, or investigations into their daily activity patterns confirm signs of fatigue such as prolonged eye closure (lasting over two seconds), mental disorientation, or insufficient sleep—the driver will also be classified as fatigued. By leveraging multidimensional data for precise identification, the new rules aim to enhance law enforcement efficiency and strengthen road safety.