Friedman Group
  • About Us
    • Careers
    • Privacy
  • Services
    • Business
    • Employee Benefits >
      • Share To Compare
    • Financial Services
    • Personal
    • Specialty Insurance
  • AP Blog
  • Pay Online
  • Contact
  • About Us
    • Careers
    • Privacy
  • Services
    • Business
    • Employee Benefits >
      • Share To Compare
    • Financial Services
    • Personal
    • Specialty Insurance
  • AP Blog
  • Pay Online
  • Contact

Welcome to The Friedman Blog

Employers; make driver wellness a priority

1/23/2019

 
Most goods in the U.S. are delivered by long-haul truck drivers. Businesses don’t often think about the unhealthy side effects that come with the truck-driving profession, and that can spell trouble for the drivers and for business profitability.
There are a number of factors about the truck-driving occupation that contribute to poor physical health, including:
  • Sitting behind the wheel all day means limited opportunity for exercise.
  • Truck stops and restaurants provide a quick bite to eat, but contribute to a poor diet.
  • Sporadic work schedules interfere with sleep patterns.
  • Highway annoyances and hazards that include traffic delays, dangerous drivers, and poor weather.
  • Pressure to reach the destination on time provides an incentive to ingest unhealthy stimulants to stay awake.

The CDC conducted a large, in-depth national survey on long-haul truck drivers to learn more about the health and safety conditions these drivers face. This study found:
  • Truck drivers were twice as likely to be obese compared to other U.S. workers.
  • Truck drivers were twice as likely to smoke compared to other U.S. workers.
  • Three out of four truck drivers said they did not get the recommended amount of physical activity. Only 1 out of 4 men and 1 out of 5 women drivers said they exercised for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
  • Compared to 24% of the U.S. working population, 26% of truck drivers said they have hypertension.
  • Compared to 7% of the U.S. working population, 14% of truck drivers said they have diabetes.
  • 697 trucker drivers, or their passengers, were killed in crashes.

What employers can do
There are several steps employers can take to maintain a healthy driver workforce:
  • Implement injury prevention programs.
  • Offer free or discounted memberships at gyms with locations around the country.
  • Encourage drivers to take quick exercise breaks during trips.
  • Encourage healthy eating at home and on the road.
  • Ensure that drivers’ schedules are not so tight that they might violate hours-of-service rules to make on-time deliveries.
  • Be sure drivers are aware of (and adhere) to cargo securement and weight limits, safe driving techniques, and ways to avoid drowsy or distracted driving.
  • Ensure that entry level-truck driver training meets current needs.
  • Ensure the highest level of leadership commits to driver safety programs.
  • Establish and enforce safety policies and regulations, such as requiring everyone in the truck to buckle up.
  • Promote seat belt use in training and safety meetings.

The takeaway
If a truck driver suffers a heart attack or dozes off while hauling a load weighing tens of thousands of pounds, the results can be catastrophic. In addition to the lives lost or forever changed, there could be a considerable cost to the business.
​
Make driver wellness a priority. It makes good business sense and it’s the right thing to do. 

Comments are closed.

    Categories

    All
    Compliance
    COVID 19
    Cyber
    Employee Benefits
    Personal Insurance
    Property Casualty
    Risk Management
    Wellness
    Workers Compensation

    Archives

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018

The Friedman Group
501 Bell St.
Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: (563) 556-0272
Home
Business Insurance
Employee Benefits
Personal Insurance
Contact

AssuredPartners
An AssuredPartners Agency
In February 2020, The Friedman Group joined AssuredPartners, the 11th largest insurance brokerage in the U.S. This partnership provides us access to additional capital and a national footprint that enables us to continue to negotiate the most favorable coverage terms and conditions for our clients, and allows us to provide an even broader spectrum of risk management support services. ​
© 2023 The Friedman Group, Inc.  Privacy Policy.