As someone who makes their living driving a truck, you may understand all too well that solitude and boredom are common in your line of work. You may not realize, however, just how dangerous the truck driving profession is or just how high your risk of suffering a work-related fatality is when you work in the industry.
According to the Commercial Carrier Journal, truck drivers have a particularly high risk of dying on the job, and so much so that truckers had the highest fatality rate of any profession in 2018. That year, 4,951 people lost their lives in crashes involving commercial trucks, and 885 of the people that died were the people driving the commercial trucks.
Troubling statistics
Research shows that crashes caused about 95% of all fatal injuries suffered by truck drivers in 2018. This is particularly troubling given that the number of fatal crashes involving commercial trucks, in general, is on the rise across the United States. Between 2017 and 2018, the number of people dying in crashes involving commercial trucks rose by 0.9%.
Numerous hazards
Just what is it that makes the trucking profession so hazardous? For starters, truck drivers spend noticeably more time on the roadways than the average American, giving them more time to find themselves involved in crashes. The long hours associated with the job also lead to occupational health challenges, many of which may also elevate your chances of a deadly crash. Environmental hazards, such as inclement weather, also pose a serious threat to today’s truck drivers.
There are certain steps you may want to take, such as always making sure to get adequate rest, to reduce your chance of a work-related fatality. However, you are not going to be able to eliminate all hazards associated with your line of work.