Ensuring truck driver health is essential for keeping our roads safe for all, and for supporting our drivers.
Understanding when a driver has a high-risk condition enables the driver to address the condition, both for their own welfare and to ensure it does not contribute to a crash.
On the instruction of transport ministers, the National Transport Commission (NTC) has been looking into improving health screening for three high-risk conditions – cardiovascular disease, diabetes and sleep apnoea.
The NTC discussion paper has laid out five options for industry-wide implementation to improve the performance of ‘Assessing Fitness to Drive’ (AFTD) around Australia.
The recent NatRoad submission to the NTC focused on the need for governments to improve implementation of the current AFTD guidance, aligning with the NTC’s “Option B” for improving health outcomes for drivers.
The recommendations of Option B will improve implementation of current AFTD guidance across the cardiovascular, diabetes and sleep disorder chapters. This will mean drivers should have more confidence in health professionals who are conducting health assessments for them.
Improved consistency and quality of health assessments can also achieve early identification and management of risk factors for chronic diseases and conditions.
Health assessments should be an intrinsic part of routine driver health management practices, an approach that has already been adopted by a number of trucking businesses.
It is important to note that the health benefits of the proposed reforms are more likely to be realised in the states, territories, accreditation schemes and businesses with existing periodic assessment requirements. Right now, the application of health assessments as part of licensing is inconsistent.
There are no requirements for health assessments in some jurisdictions, while others such as the ATC, require periodic health assessments.
The NTC, in its discussion paper, admits the benefits from any of the proposed reforms would only be achieved by operators working under the existing licensing and accreditation rules, so it does not include all drivers.
This means the proposed reforms will increase the requirements (and the associated regulatory costs) on businesses and drivers already demonstrating best practice, while doing almost nothing to address the gaps in driver health screening.
We are concerned there has been no meaningful evaluation of the safety benefit of increasing requirements on drivers who already undergo periodic health assessments compared to the impact of reducing the gaps and inconsistencies in existing requirements.
We also need a stronger focus on expanding free and non-regulatory medical screening for drivers, like those provided by Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds (HHTS).
HHTS offers on-road health screening that is already helping to educating drivers and change behaviour.
The HHTS screenings are easy for drivers to access and are free of charge. They provide an important role in raising awareness to help drivers manage their own health and are not limited by the inconsistent application of periodic health assessment rules.
Unfortunately, there are not enough of these assessments available on the road. Governments should invest strongly in this industry-led approach and prioritise the wellbeing of our drivers, and the safety of our roads.
In short, drivers need better access to medical services and health assessments, and governments should be careful to ensure any reforms are not just doubling down, with more requirements on drivers and businesses already prioritising health assessments.
Removing the inconsistencies in the periodic assessment approach may have a more significant safety outcome.
Finally, driver health screening needs to expand and become more consistent nationwide. There is a clear need to expand the use of free and non-regulatory health screenings, like those provided by HHTS.
- Warren Clark is the CEO of NatRoad.