One in five truckies on drugs
26th September 2006
 |
One in five New South Wales truck drivers is using illegal stimulants to stay awake during long trips, UNSW research reveals.
The UNSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre (IRMRC) has found that more than half of surveyed truck drivers had used stimulants at some time during their career, and 25 per cent had done so within the past six months.
The findings, which have prompted the NSW government establish a taskforce to deal with the problem, are based on a 2005 survey of 200 long distance truckies at nine trucking stops within 200kms of Sydney.
IRMRC will this week reveal further new findings from a national survey of long haul truck drivers at the National Injury Prevention Conference at UNSW.
The research will show that a significant proportion of these drivers reported stimulant use as one of the most helpful strategies for fatigue management.
IRMRC’s acting director, Dr Ann Williamson, said drivers who take stimulants to get through long spells at the wheel posed a substantial risk to other drivers. A change in the financial motivators for truck drivers was needed, according to Dr Williamson.
"Certainly we know from what stimulants do is that it does improve your alertness for a period, but once they wear off, you've got a real problem," she says.
For more information: Conference website
What: National Injury Prevention Conference
When: Wednesday to Friday, 27 to 29 September, 2006.
Where: The John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW
Media contact: Dan Gaffney, ph (02) 9285 3644 or 0411 156 015.
The UNSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre (IRMRC) has found that more than half of surveyed truck drivers had used stimulants at some time during their career, and 25 per cent had done so within the past six months.
The findings, which have prompted the NSW government establish a taskforce to deal with the problem, are based on a 2005 survey of 200 long distance truckies at nine trucking stops within 200kms of Sydney.
IRMRC will this week reveal further new findings from a national survey of long haul truck drivers at the National Injury Prevention Conference at UNSW.
The research will show that a significant proportion of these drivers reported stimulant use as one of the most helpful strategies for fatigue management.
IRMRC’s acting director, Dr Ann Williamson, said drivers who take stimulants to get through long spells at the wheel posed a substantial risk to other drivers. A change in the financial motivators for truck drivers was needed, according to Dr Williamson.
"Certainly we know from what stimulants do is that it does improve your alertness for a period, but once they wear off, you've got a real problem," she says.
For more information: Conference website
What: National Injury Prevention Conference
When: Wednesday to Friday, 27 to 29 September, 2006.
Where: The John Niland Scientia Building, UNSW
Media contact: Dan Gaffney, ph (02) 9285 3644 or 0411 156 015.
Share on Facebook Add to Del.icio.us Digg this story |