General
Landmark research reveals ‘horrific’ mental health crisis facing Australian truck drivers
Gerard* was only in the trucking game for five years when he started to notice a change in himself.
Key points:
- Suicide is now the second leading cause of death for truck drivers aged under 39
- Many drivers report feeling unable to express mental health concerns
- Researcher Elizabeth Prichard says the impact of the industry on drivers is “larger than we ever anticipated”
Working 16-hour days, weighing 142 kilograms and in the grip of his second divorce, the truck driver said his mental health had never been so bad.
He said, “broken marriages, a shit life on the road and never being home for years on end”, led him to spiral.
When he attempted to talk through his struggles with colleagues, he was told to shut up and “grow some balls”.
“It’s a real…
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