Mental health and psychosocial risks are critical issues in road transport. Drivers face extreme pressure in the form of low pay, long hours, job insecurity and unsafe workplaces, which endanger lives every day.
The ILO Guidelines underline that the organisation of work – characterised by long hours, tight deadlines, high responsibility and economic pressure – has a significant impact on drivers’ mental wellbeing. Stress, fatigue and anxiety are common, particularly where drivers face unrealistic delivery schedules, income insecurity or pressure to meet performance targets. This chronic stress is exacerbated by invasive digital surveillance and telematics tracking, which subject drivers to constant performance anxiety and strip them of their professional autonomy through real-time monitoring, in-cab cameras and algorithmic tracking.
Isolation, lone working and prolonged separation from family generate loneliness, reduced morale and increased vulnerability to mental health challenges. Exposure to difficult working environments, including traffic congestion, unsafe rest areas and the risk of violence or harassment, can further exacerbate stress. Furthermore, the systematic lack of access to basic human necessities – such as clean drinking water, decent hot food, or hygienic toilets or showers at loading stations, border checkpoints or parking areas – severely strips drivers of their dignity, compounding their mental health.
Precarious employment and income instability contribute to psychosocial strain, particularly for drivers who are paid per delivery or dependent on fluctuating workloads. The ILO Guidelines highlight that these factors can impair concentration and decision-making, increasing safety risks for drivers and other road users.
For more on mental health and psychosocial risk and isolation and lone working, see the Risks Across Transport guidance