Many people don’t realize just how strenuous trucking can be. While most media depicts trucking as this relaxing job, full of scenic trips and long hours of doing nothing more than sitting and watching the road, it’s often far from true and, for many truckers, it’s a nightmare.
The reality of trucking is that it’s a difficult job that puts a lot of stress, emotional and physical, on employees. Because of this, their job isn’t just hard but they’re often at risk of causing trucking accidents. You may be wondering just how their mental and physical health can affect their job.
Here’s what you should know:
There are long, isolated hours on the road
When most people go on long trips, they take someone with them to accompany them – truckers often don’t have this privilege. This means truckers spend countless hours enclosed in a tight space by themselves with just their radio to accompany them. This can make it difficult for truckers to keep a cheery disposition, leading to many workers developing depression – and it doesn’t help these drivers who are frequently away from their families and loved ones for long periods.
There is a high risk of developing medical conditions
It’s often recommended, no matter the job, to take a break, stretch and maybe take a walk for your health. Truckers not only have very few chances to take such a break but they likely also don’t get the recommended amount of hot and nutritious meals and sleep the average person should have. When this happens, truckers are often on a fast track to developing health concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
When dealing with poor mental and physical health problems, many truckers don’t have many options to resolve their issues. This can easily lead to truck accidents, causing many victims to be seriously or fatally injured. This is what makes trucker health an important issue for everybody on the road. If you’re in a wreck with a truck, find out more about your legal options.