The United States Department of Labor highlighted the extreme but often overlooked danger inherent in the truck driver’s job. Truckers are subject to some of the highest death and injury rates of all American workers.
Truckers account for one out of every six on-the-job deaths in the U.S. and are three times more likely than the average worker to suffer an illness or injury that requires time away from work. When drivers do miss work, the rigour of being behind the wheel all day leads to twice the recovery time needed for other types of workers.
Musculoskeletal disorders are a common problem in the industry, with truck drivers ranking as the third most common type of worker to complain of strains, sprains, neuropathy, back pain and other related conditions.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s “Our Roads, Our Responsibility” campaign is designed to reduce the frequency and severity of accidents involving large commercial motor vehicles. The DOL encourages drivers to view the resources available through the FMCSA, as well as detailed statistics about work-related injuries and fatalities available through the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“We hope that this kind of detailed information will help employers improve conditions for tractor-trailer drivers, as well as empower workers with knowledge about the hazards they’re likely to encounter.
