Truck driving, like any career, comes with its own list of risks. It isn’t a surprise that anyone thinking about becoming a trucker would wonder how these specific risks might impact their life.
What is the life expectancy of a trucker? The average age that most sources point to is 61 years old.
This widely agreed upon statistic is 11 years lower than the worldwide average life expectancy of 72 years old. It’s also an astonishing 17 years lower than the average life expectancy in the US, which is 79 years old.
For many, taking this many years off your life voluntarily would make them turn and run the other way. However, with health problems being the leading cause of mortality in truckers, there are steps you can take to combat it.
Life Expectancy of Truckers
Finding exact figures for the life expectancy of truck drivers is no easy task. Even so, we were able to track down a study conducted in 2007 which looks at the files of over 58,000 employees of the trucking industry.
The average age of death reported among drivers in this study is 61.3 years, which supports the number most often reported.
Besides age, the study also goes into specific causes of death among the near 5,000 people that died in the trucking industry. This gives us a better look at what risks potentially pose a greater threat to a trucker’s life over the years.
The first table below offers a look into the numbers when it comes to the average ages of truck drivers in different scenarios. The second table shows the number of deaths related to different causes pulled from the information in the 2007 study.
| Average Age | |
| Age of Truck Drivers | 52 Years |
| Retirement Age of Truckers | 50-55 Years |
| Life Expectancy of Truck Drivers | 61 Years |
| Life Expectancy of Humans | 72 Years |
| Cause of Death | # of Deaths Out of 4,875 |
| Heart Disease | 1,333 |
| Lung Cancer | 769 |
| Diabetes | 103 |
| Transport Related Accidents | 178 |
Other leading causes of death among the truckers in the study were Respiratory Diseases (322), Accidents, Homicides, Suicides (431), and Cerebrovascular Disease (167).
Risk Factors for Truckers
Truck driving is a demanding and sometimes dangerous working environment. The associated risks that come along with taking up employment in the trucking industry make it a tough environment to work in.
Work Related Injuries
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on the number of fatal work injuries by occupation in 2017. The subgroup of heavy and tractor trailer drivers accounted for 840 deaths from work related injuries, a steadily growing number from the 670 deaths in 2011. The next closest group only came in at 258 deaths.
However, because of the high number of people employed as truck drivers, the overall percentage of fatal injuries per 100,000 workers was relatively low compared to other professions.
Driving such a large vehicle always comes with the possibility of getting into an accident on the road. There are thousands of accidents involving these trucks every year, most of which involve two or more vehicles.
Many trucking accidents are caused by an error with the truck itself, not the driver. Close to 30% of crashes are a result of tire problems, while only a combined 12% are caused by driver fatigue or aggression.
40% of the truck drivers killed in accidents were not wearing seatbelts.
Not all injuries on the job are fatal— but they can lead to time off that you weren’t counting on. You also have a chance of being forced to retire if it significantly impacts your health.
Physical Health
Work related injuries are not the only risks that come along with truck driving. There are very real concerns about the health of drivers, which contribute highly to their mortality rate. Being sedentary on the job affects your health in many ways.
Health Complications That Often Affect Truck Drivers:
- Obesity
- High Blood Pressure
- Sleep Apnea
- Diabetes
- Sleep Deprivation
- Skin Cancer
- Back, Neck, and Knee Problems
It is crucial to keep an eye on your physical heath, especially if you are driving long distances and sitting still for extended periods of time.
Mental Health
In addition, a trucker’s mental health may deteriorate due to countless hours spent alone on the road. Depression is a prevalent problem among truck drivers, though it is rarely discussed.
Approximately 14% of drivers suffer from some level of depression. Some culprits behind this number are long hours spent alone, financial troubles, problems at home, and a lack of proper sleep.
Substance Use
Many health problems facing truckers are made worse by smoking cigarettes. More than half of active drivers report that they are smokers. Along with being around truck emissions so frequently, smoking only helps to boost the number of truck drivers that succumb to respiratory diseases and lung cancer.
There is also evidence pointing to alcohol consumption and the use of other drugs among truckers.
The three most common choices of drug are marijuana, amphetamines, and cocaine in that order. While the percentage of positive drug tests is low (less than 2%) this still represents a large number of drivers out of the millions on the road.
Ways to Minimize the Risks of Truck Driving
Some things in the world are out of your control– but there are steps you can take to better your odds of besting the average life expectancy. It certainly won’t make your chances any worse to take a few precautions where you can.
Make Time to Move Around
It’s recommended that everyone get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. When you’re stuck in a truck for hours on end, this might seem impossible.
Be mindful about your downtime. Bring along some running shoes to go for walks or runs around truck stops or rest areas. Incorporating ankle weights can help you better work out your legs as you move.
Even small things like stretching out your neck and back properly is beneficial to your body in the long run.
Bring Along Healthy Snacks
Fast food is a much easier option to find and eat when you’re on the road than anything mildly healthy. But with your overall health in mind, it makes sense to put in a little extra effort when it comes to your diet.
Create a meal plan and precook meals to take with you on your trip so that you have something that’s easily accessible. Instead of going by a burger joint, stop at a grocery store or even a gas station and look for better options.
Switching up even part of your normal diet will help in preventing diseases that tend to plague truckers.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Getting 7-8 hours of sleep a night is essential to functioning properly while you’re awake. Cutting your nights short for the sake of saving time will only harm your health over time.
Along with getting enough sleep, getting good sleep will make doing your job that much easier. Make sure you aren’t compromising on your length or quality of rest. Your body will thank you for it.
Talk to Someone
This is so important in an occupation where you spend so much of your time alone. With the prevalence of depression among truckers, speaking up about your struggles is paramount to your health.
Make time to speak to anyone close to you. Call your family or friends. Have a meal with your fellow truck drivers at a truck stop. Talk to a therapist if you feel you are in too deep.
Staying silent may seem like the best course of action for many reasons, but it can wear you down significantly, making the work you do even harder than it should be.
Quit Smoking
This is more a general tip than something exclusive to truckers, but it’s still something you should take under consideration. Smoking only worsens any existing problems associated with truck driving.
There is no one size fits all solution to quitting out there, but there are a variety of options available to anyone that is willing to try. It may seem impossible under the stress, but you are in control.
Taking even one part of your health into your own hands is a good first step in the right direction.
Truck Driving Isn’t for Everyone— But it Could be For You
If you are considering becoming a truck driver, or you’re already one, it can be intimidating to think about the numbers and the risks. But just because these statistics exist doesn’t mean you have to become one.
The average life expectancy of truckers is just that— an average. There is nothing about it set in stone. There are plenty of truckers who live beyond 61. In fact, around 10% of active truck drivers are over the age of 65.
If truck driving is something you really want to do, then go for it! Just keep your wellbeing in mind while you’re out there on the road.