Trucking is a way of life for more than 270,000 Canadians and the most popular job for men in this country. The idea of hauling goods around the continent may have lost its sheen since the heyday of the trucker movie, but the job can still be as dangerous as any stunt pulled in Smokey and the Bandit. Between 2000 and 2004, an average of 85 truck drivers died each year in road collisions, according to Transport Canada.
Although trucking is mostly a sedentary occupation, it's also a gruelling and stressful way to make a living. Long-haul carriers log upward of 900 kilometres a day in 10-hour shifts, many of them subsisting on greasy food and stopping only to grab some sleep in their cabs. When they reach their destination, they often must summon the energy to load and unload cargo. Missing a delivery deadline could mean losing a customer, and for the one in five Canadian truckers who are owner/operators, that can be a serious blow to their business. Then there's the danger of being robbed: Last June, Ontario driver Donald Woods was shot dead for his $40,000 load of frozen chicken.
Another big anxiety for truckers is the obstacle course that's otherwise known as the open road--highway signs that obstruct their line of vision, endless construction zones and, says veteran trucker Wayne Robertson, careless "four-wheeler" drivers who don't realize how much room truckers need to manoeuvre and stop 24-metre vehicles.
A recent study by the U.S. government showed that driver error--not road conditions--was the prime cause of almost nine out of 10 truck/car collisions, and that four-wheelers were the main culprits in 56% of accidents.
What's more, truckers are a greying bunch--the average age of a self-employed driver is 45, and only 5% of truckers are under 25, according to Statistics Canada. Depth of experience among truckers is a plus; however, older drivers and those who are overweight are more at risk for sleep apnea, a condition that can cause daytime drowsiness. A U.S. study found that nearly one in three truckers suffered from apnea, increasing their risk of dozing off at the wheel.--
the safer way... to drive defensively
All evidence to the contrary, truckers are trained to drive five kilometres below the speed limit, and stay at least 85 metres behind the car in front of them, according to Channy Dhaliwal, owner of Brampton-based Golden Star Truck Driving School.
