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Depressed truckies ‘as lethal as drunks’
Friday, 3 July 2009The study, co-authored by Dr Michael Hilton of the School’s Mental Health Policy Economics Group, found that, unlike stress or anxiety, severe depression in heavy vehicle drivers increased the risk of an accident more than fatigue.
Researchers surveyed 1324 truck drivers and found that many were unaware they were heading off on long-haul trips with the equivalent impairment of a person with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08.
Dr Hilton said mental health problems in truck drivers could be made worse by the lack of access to medical support.
“Truck drivers are a problematic population,” he said.
“They’re on the road a lot and getting them to see a clinician might be difficult.”
The full story, which first appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald, can be read here.
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Mental Health Policy and Economics Group
Vanessa Mannix Coppard, T: 042 420 7771
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