Health Insurance and Truck Drivers

Anyone who has driven a vehicle late at night or has driven while he was sleepy can easily appreciate work that truck drivers do. When you become drowsy, you use every option available, in order to stay alert. Considering the hectic schedule that you keep as a truck driver, it is understandable that you might have unique concerns, in regards to your health.

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Health Concerns for Truck Drivers

As a truck driver, you are often required to drive for extremely long periods. In particular, you must often drive when the road and weather conditions are challenging, and at nighttimes. Your health and wellbeing are at risk, and some occupational hazards that you encounter include:

• Accidental hazards: slips, falls, and trips; lengthy driving sessions (i.e. at night, with bad road and weather); upending of a truck; fire hazards from leaks and spills of substances; poisoning via exhaust gases; burns; explosion of car battery and tires that are over-inflated; traumas due to overexertion, injuries while repairing a heavy truck; explosions
• Chemical hazards: skin diseases that chemicals have caused (i.e. gasoline, oil, antifreeze); exposure to toxic substances in various states, automobile fluids and dust; breathing in of exhaust fumes
• Physical hazards: vibrations of the entire body; exposure to loud engine noise, extreme weather and temperature changes; and ultraviolet (UV) radiation

These occupational hazards of truck drivers can result in health problems such as overexertion, pain in joints and lower back, eye problems, problems with digestion, and increased smoking.

On the Highway to Health

While your job as a truck driver is vital to society, it is one of America’s most dangerous occupations. In fact, it accounts for almost 15% of deaths related to work, in the country. Due to increased health care costs, trucking companies are evaluating the general poor health of truckers, which could result in lowered health care costs. Some trucking companies offer health care services such as cholesterol and blood pressure checks, implementation of wellness programs, and healthier choices in vending machines. These solutions have greatly reduced trucking companies’ health care costs.

A truck driver’s job includes several occupational hazards that can negatively influence your health. However, if you make healthy lifestyle changes, you can start driving down the road to good health.

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