CV drivers ‘vulnerable to mental health issues’

Transport training body RTITB has urged the industry to take action to help improve the mental health of LGV drivers.

The organisation cites a recent presentation from the mental health charity Mind, which suggested that 30 per cent of self-reported work-related illness in the transport and logistics industry was due to stress, depression and anxiety.

But RTITB said that many more may be suffering in silence – pointing out that 95 per cent of workers calling in sick due to stress give a different reason to their manager. Additionally, while 22 per cent of workers had been diagnosed with a mental health problem, less than half had told their managers.

Truck drivers are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems, says RTITB, with a standard working day usually including long hours of intense concentration, strict time constraints, demanding delivery targets and heavy traffic conditions.

Furthermore, mental health problems can be exacerbated by poor physical health, caused by a lack of exercise, unhealthy diet and insufficient quality sleep – all of which, the organisation points out, are common amongst LGV drivers.

A further factor identified as putting drivers at particular risk of depression was working alone, as well as away from family. But issues outside work could also be impacting drivers’ daily lives.

Gender was another key consideration.

“Statistically, men are less likely to speak up about mental health problems, so suffering in silence is all too common in this male-dominated transport industry,” said Laura Nelson, managing director of RTITB.

“Conditions such as stress and depression are likely to worsen if left untreated, so it is important to encourage drivers and their managers to talk more openly about mental health.”

She continued: “Mental health problems among workers are said to cost the UK between £70–£100 billion per year, so addressing this issue will not only be hugely beneficial to individual drivers and their employers, but could also positively impact the UK economy.”

A further contributor to mental health issues can be post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which RTITB pointed out was of particular concern to the logistics industry, given the large number of ex-military personnel working within it – as well as affecting drivers who had witnessed or been involved in road accidents.

“One of the most effective ways to address mental health problems among LGV drivers, and a big step towards recovery, is to talk about them,” says Laura.

“There are more conversations about mental health happening, but with one in four people said to experience a mental health problem in any given year, we all have a responsibility to do more to help tackle these issues.”

Training can play a vital role in reducing the risk of developing mental health problems by teaching drivers and their managers how to spot the signs, RTITB said. The organisation has developed a specific mental health module that can be taken as part of the Driver CPC, covering topics such as stress, depression, anxiety and workplace bullying.

Research published in May by Mercedes-Benz Vans UK raised concerns about mental health among drivers in the light commercial vehicle sector.

Of 2,000 van owners and operators surveyed, almost one in five described their current mental health as poor or very poor, with three quarters identifying work as a contributory factor.

In addition, more than half of those with poor mental health said increased time pressures and workload were contributing factors. One in three said job uncertainty played a part, and 17 per cent thought road congestion was having an impact.

James Harris, a spokesperson for the Mental Health Foundation, said of the Mercedes research: “Compared to the national average, these figures indicate that van drivers are experiencing an increased rate of poor mental health. In part this may be explained by the pressures of the job, and the fact that van drivers can often be isolated.

“This is important because we know that men are less likely to reach out for help, and are four times more likely to end their life by suicide. We need to create a culture in which anyone experiencing problems can ask for help in the knowledge that they will be supported.”