Speeding, health problems and unsecured loads are part of everyday life for many craftsmen and home care workers – something that also exposes other motorists to risks in traffic, a new study shows.
Professional drivers who have the car as a workplace often suffer from health problems, fatigue and other things that can cause traffic accidents. This is shown by a new study from VTI (The Norwegian Road and Transport Research Institute).
It also means road safety risks for other road users.
The studies that have been done in the past have mainly concerned truck and bus drivers who are subject to driving and rest periods. In the new study, the researchers have instead examined craftsmen and staff in home care or home health care, which are not covered by these rules.
“Although there is the possibility of secure anchoring, many people do not care about it”
Too little sleep
Handymen often drive too fast, and they drive longer distances than home care workers. Many suffer from pain and muscle tension in, for example, the back and almost four out of ten get too little sleep.
Four out of ten craftsmen also state that they drive too fast “if it feels safe”. The corresponding figure for home care staff is 33 percent.
Among the home care staff, the problems with stress and sleep are even worse than among the craftsmen. Many also state that they have to struggle to stay awake – this applies to almost one in four people in home care.
Only 64 percent of the craftsman’s cars had the possibility of securely anchoring the load, but in many cases there were still loose objects that could be a traffic hazard.
– Although there is the possibility of secure anchoring, many people do not care about it, says project manager Anna Anund.
If more company cars had modern safety systems, the number of accidents would decrease, according to VTI, but employers must also deal with employees’ health problems in traffic.
Speeding can be avoided with the help of a speed limit while the employees’ schedules take traffic into account, and the craftsmen need to get better at securing their cargo.
