Driver Mental Health
MENTAL HEATH ISSUES AROUND TRUCK DRIVERS
Did you know that truck drivers suffer a very high rate of suicide and mental health issues? Suicide is currently the second-highest cause of death in truck drivers under 39 years of age.
Mr Michael Kaine, National Secretary of the TWU, oversees insurance claims made by some 100,000 transport workers to their superannuation fund. He reports:
“There are between three and six suicide claims every month — a horrific number.”
A Monash University study found the percentage of drivers aged under 35 suffering severe distress was almost double that of the average Australian male of the same age.
Truck drivers are 13 times more likely to die at work than any other Australian worker and a report by the National Transport Insurance company found driver fatalities had more than doubled last year.
An exodus of truck drivers, fed up with long hours and stagnating wages, has resulted in a nationwide shortage. Despite this, truck driving is the most common occupation for male Australians, employing 1 in every 33 male workers, or approximately 200,000 drivers.
“Most drivers are on their second or third relationship because previous spouses have said ‘I may as well be a single parent.’ They’re doing their job and trying to provide for their families
and they’re doing that often in the middle of the night, for 14 to 16 hours a day, at huge costs to themselves, their sleep, their relationships and their health.” said, Dr Elizabeth Pritchard, Research Fellow at Monash University in her study into the mental health of Truck Drivers in Australia.
Dr Pritchard added, “Marriage breakdown, dislocation from family life and fears of infidelity were common among drivers and their partners.”
Injury Matters
Every year in WA thousands of people are impacted by road crashes.
Road Trauma Support WA provides information, support and counselling to anyone in WA who has been affected by a road crash. We support those who have been involved in and/or injured in a road crash, their families, friends and carers, those who have witnessed a crash or are first on the scene, first responders and those who may have caused a road crash to occur.
They provide;
Support and counselling sessions are delivered free of charge and no referral is required.
How they can help you:
Your experience and the support you need is personal to you. Their service offers free information and tools to help guide you through some of the concerns and emotions you may have after a road crash.
If you are in need of immediate support, please contact your GP or one of the following services;
Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds
Why Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds?
Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds Foundation exists to promote prevention and understanding of mental health issues that exist across the road transport and logistics industries in Australia.
The overarching aim of the Foundation is to build a psychologically safe, healthy and thriving working environment for truck drivers, distribution centre and warehouse staff, and other road transport industry members.
By facilitating and coordinating an industry-wide strategy for best practice psychological safety, wellbeing and physical health, we endeavour to support all operators nationally, regardless of size or scale. The vision of the Foundation is to ensure resources are made accessible right across the industry.
We’re a registered not-for-profit charitable Foundation, and our board of directors is voluntary and independent.
Healthy Heads provides online training for the following courses;
