Truck driving is among the most hazardous occupations in Australia. Over the past decade, drivers have consistently recorded the highest rates of work-related injuries and fatalities.
Safe Work Australia’s latest profile examines the WHS risks faced by truck drivers, highlighting how the nature of the work and its demands – long hours on the road, exposure to unpredictable environments, heavy vehicle operation, manual handling of heavy cargo and freight, as well as time pressures – all contribute significantly to the physical and psychosocial risk profile for this workforce.
Key insights:
- Fatality rates: In the 10 years to 2023, more truck drivers died from work-related injuries than any other occupation in Australia. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of these fatalities were due to vehicle incidents.
- Serious injury claims: Truck drivers experience serious injuries from falls and muscular stress at rates three to four times higher than the average across all occupations.
These findings draw on Safe Work Australia’s National Dataset for Compensation-based Statistics and ABS Census data. They provide valuable insights to help industry and regulators better understand and manage WHS risks for this critical workforce.