Trucking landed among the 10 careers spotlighted in the 2016 CareerCast.com Jobs Rated report on Most Dangerous Jobs. In the days since, a new column on the Department of Labor's blog underscores the hazards of working on the roadways.
Per the DoL:
Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers also have the highest number of nonfatal injuries and illnesses that require days off from work across all occupations (a total of 55,710 in 2014). They rank 6th among the top occupations with highest incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work, after police officers and sheriffs, firefighters, highway maintenance workers, correctional officers and nursing assistants.
With the demonstrable danger that comes inherent in trucking, drivers' top priority must be safety at all times. A Huffington Post column offers three basic tips to ensure safety on the roadway.
While case-by-case safety remains up to individual drivers, the industry as a whole is making strides to improve conditions. In 2016, the American Trucking Association released a report that found $9.5 billion invested directly in safety by employers in the trucking industry.
Perhaps as the industry continues to make such strides, trucking will disappear from future Most Dangerous Jobs reports.