High winds and tall trailers: does your fleet have a policy?

With the storms we've had recently, it's worth asking a simple question: if the forecast says it's going to be very windy, who decides whether your double deck trailers go out, and what are they basing it on?

I've worked for an operator that had a clear rule. Above a set wind speed, no double decktrailers left the yard. It was written down, everyone knew it, and nobody had to make a judgement call under pressure on the day. Recently I asked a transport manager at another firm whether they had a policy, and the answer was no, because they didn't have enough trailers to stop using them. They go out regardless.

I understand the commercial pressure. But a wind policy isn't about being cautious for the sake of it. It's about deciding in advance, calmly, instead of on the morning, when a late delivery and a full diary are pulling the other way.

There is no official wind speed limit

It's worth being clear on this, because it's the reason a policy matters. National Highways' advice on travelling in strong winds doesn't give a wind speed above which vehicles should stay off the road. It names the vehicles most at risk, including articulated HGVs, high-sided rigid HGVs, tippers and abnormal loads, and advises that you consider delaying your journey until conditions improve. It also says National Highways may need to close certain structures to some classes of vehicle or to all vehicles.

So there's no figure to follow. The 50 mph rule at the firm I mentioned was the operator's own, and any number you use has to be yours too, set by looking at your trailers, your loads and your routes.

Why it's your responsibility

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must manage the risks of work-related driving as part of their health and safety arrangements, so far as is reasonably practicable. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require an assessment of the risks to employees while they are at work.

The HSE's guidance on driving for work, INDG382, lists questions an employer should be able to answer. Among them:

• Do you consider poor weather conditions, such as snow or high winds, when planning journeys?

  
  

• Can your journey times and routes be adjusted to take account of poor weather conditions?

  
  

• Do drivers of high-sided vehicles know they should take extra care if driving in strong winds with a light load?

  
  

• Do drivers feel pressured to complete journeys where weather conditions are exceptionally difficult?

  
  

That last question is the important one. If the answer to "do you have a policy?" is "no, the trailers go out regardless", then it's hard to say drivers aren't under pressure.

What a high winds policy can look like

There's no standard template, and it depends on your fleet, but a sensible policy answers these questions in advance:

• What triggers it? A wind speed or a weather warning level, and whether you're using the average wind speed or gusts. Decide this once and write it down.

  
  

• Which vehicles does it apply to? Double deck trailers, curtainsiders and other tall or high-sided vehicles, and light or empty trailers, which the HSE says call for extra care in strong winds.

  
  

• Who makes the call? The transport manager or planner, with a clear person to ask if a driver is unsure.

  
  

• Can a driver stand down? A driver who says a load or route isn't safe in the wind should be listened to, without a penalty. If drivers feel they'll lose out for refusing, they'll stop speaking up. This is the same point as with fatigue.

  
  

• What happens to the work? Rescheduling, using a different vehicle or telling the customer early. Having an answer ready is what makes a policy workable when you're short of trailers.

  
  

• How do you check? Look at the forecast the day before and again on the morning, and plan routes to avoid exposed stretches and bridges where you can.

A question for your next review

If you're a small fleet, this doesn't need to be a long document. A single page that says when tall trailers stay in, who decides and what happens to the work is far better than relying on whoever happens to be in the office when the wind picks up.

If you'd like your risk assessments, including severe weather, looked at properly as part of a full audit, get in touch at enquiries@ukfleetaudit.co.uk.

Compliant fleets don't get lucky. They get built that way.

References

National Highways (2024) Travelling in strong winds. Available at: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/travelling-in-severe-weather/travelling-in-strong-winds/ (Accessed: 26 October 2026).

Health and Safety Executive (2014) Driving and riding safely for work (INDG382). Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg382.pdf (Accessed: 26 October 2026).