Global Standards for Professional Drivers: A Key to Safer and More Efficient Roads
The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has made a compelling call to the United Nations to establish global standards for professional drivers, highlighting that inconsistent qualifications across countries are undermining road safety, transport efficiency, and the overall professionalism of the sector. At the recent United Nations Global Forum on Road Traffic Safety, IRU Global Advocacy Policy Adviser Clara Sánchez López emphasized that professionalising commercial drivers and harmonising standards worldwide is a critical step toward safer and more reliable road transport systems.
While heavy-duty vehicles account for only a small proportion of overall road accidents, the role of human error remains dominant in traffic incidents. Studies indicate that approximately 85% of road accidents are attributable to human factors, and of these, three-quarters involve errors from other road users rather than the commercial drivers themselves. This statistic underscores a vital point: improving driver education, certification, and awareness—both for commercial vehicle operators and the general driving public—is essential to tackling the human factor and enhancing road safety outcomes globally.
The Case for Standardisation and Professionalisation
One of the core recommendations presented by IRU is the standardisation of driving permits alongside a harmonisation of professional qualifications. While many countries have systems for licensing drivers, the lack of uniform international standards creates gaps in skills, knowledge, and compliance expectations. Professionalisation, according to IRU, is central to resolving these challenges. By formally recognising the profession of commercial driving and setting consistent international standards, authorities can ensure drivers are better prepared, accountable, and committed to safe practices.
Within the European Union, legislation mandates standardised access to the driving profession, including compulsory qualifications for professional drivers. In contrast, United Nations resolutions addressing road safety and professional standards remain largely voluntary and non-specific. Legal recognition of professional qualifications at a global level, IRU argues, could significantly improve road safety by ensuring drivers meet minimum standards of competence, regardless of where they are trained or employed.
Building a Formalised and Professional Sector
Creating a truly professional sector for commercial driving requires more than regulations on paper. International standards must not only exist but also be implemented, monitored, and enforced effectively. IRU has proposed a comprehensive four-pillar framework to guide the establishment, implementation, and oversight of professional driver standards worldwide:
- Formalise – Establish a structured legal framework recognising professional drivers as a distinct occupational group with clearly defined rights and responsibilities.
- Professionalise – Ensure that drivers receive standardised, high-quality training that covers both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, with a strong emphasis on road safety.
- Validate – Implement robust examination and certification systems to confirm that drivers have met established competence standards.
- Manage – Maintain continuous oversight, evaluation, and updating of professional standards to keep pace with evolving technologies, traffic regulations, and safety requirements.
A central component of this approach is the IRU Examiner tool, which supports authorities and examination bodies in creating fair, transparent, and adaptable certification systems tailored to national contexts. By providing a framework for standardised assessment, IRU Examiner ensures that driver qualifications are credible, verifiable, and internationally recognisable.
Public-Private Partnerships: A Pathway to Implementation
IRU advocates for a public-private partnership model as an effective way to implement global standards. This approach integrates the efforts of governments, training institutions, industry stakeholders, and certification bodies to ensure that all elements—from training and education to assessment and certification—are aligned, scalable, and locally owned. By fostering collaboration between public authorities and private operators, countries can rapidly develop capacity in professional driver training and standards, even in regions without comprehensive legal frameworks. Over time, this collaborative model allows for progressive formal recognition of drivers and their qualifications, enhancing both road safety and workforce mobility.
Evidence from European and Global Studies
To illustrate the viability of this approach, Clara Sánchez López referenced a recent IRU study conducted for the European Commission on bus and truck drivers. The research highlighted that many non-EU countries already have training and qualification systems that are broadly comparable to the EU’s Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). These systems include structured theoretical and practical training programs, mandatory examinations, and a clear emphasis on safety principles.
The foundation for global harmonisation, therefore, already exists. By recognising and standardising these qualifications at an international level, countries can improve driver mobility, reduce training redundancies, and address acute driver shortages in many regions. Harmonisation also ensures that professional drivers can operate safely across borders, supporting international trade and economic growth while maintaining high safety standards.
Urgency for Global Guidelines
In her address to the UN forum, Clara Sánchez López called for the convening of experts to establish clear, actionable global guidelines on professional driver qualifications. She stressed that harmonised standards would not only enhance safety but also support efficiency, workforce development, and economic stability in the transport sector.
The forum’s chair echoed this sentiment, underlining the urgency of recognising professional driver qualifications as a permanent item on the international road safety agenda. The goal is to create a globally coherent system where drivers are consistently trained, assessed, and recognised, reducing disparities that currently compromise road safety and transport reliability.
Looking Ahead: Benefits of Global Professional Driver Standards
Implementing global standards for professional drivers carries numerous benefits:
- Enhanced Road Safety – Standardised qualifications ensure drivers possess the necessary skills and knowledge, directly reducing accident rates.
- International Mobility – Harmonised standards allow drivers to work across borders, addressing workforce shortages and supporting international trade.
- Efficiency and Reliability – Professionally trained drivers contribute to more predictable and efficient transport operations, lowering costs and improving service quality.
- Recognition and Status – Formalising the profession elevates the status of commercial drivers, attracting talent and fostering a culture of accountability and safety.
- Economic Growth – Safer, professionalised transport systems underpin broader economic development, particularly in logistics-dependent sectors.
The IRU’s call to the United Nations highlights a critical opportunity: to transform professional driving into a globally recognised and standardised profession. Through formalisation, professionalisation, validation, and effective management, countries can ensure that drivers are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and recognition necessary to navigate today’s complex road networks safely and efficiently.
With the public-private partnership model and tools such as IRU Examiner, implementation is both feasible and adaptable to national contexts. As countries increasingly grapple with driver shortages, rising traffic volumes, and the imperative to reduce road fatalities, harmonised global standards for professional drivers are not just desirable—they are essential.
The next step is clear: governments, industry stakeholders, and international organisations must collaborate to establish globally recognised guidelines, making professional driver qualifications a cornerstone of road safety for decades to come.