In February, Road Trauma Support was a proud sponsor of the 26th Transafe WA Road Transport Safety Forum in Perth.
Nine presenters provided thought-provoking and informative content that was well received by over 80 attendees from the heavy vehicle industry. A great variety of fresh topics were covered at the forum and looking after our mental and physical health emerged as a common theme amongst the presentations.
Engel Prendergast, who represented Injury Matters, spoke about Investing in Mental and Physical Health. Here is an excerpt from the presentation:

The mind and body work together, connecting physical and mental health. In stressful situations, our brain releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. If we are faced with lots of stress these hormone levels increase and can have physical effects such as increasing our blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight.
For truck drivers things like time away from home, dealing with other road users, limited access to good food and facilities, difficulties finding space to stretch and exercise, being away from support networks, money and time pressures, and long periods alone can make it hard to maintain good mental and physical health.
To learn more about the connection between mental and physical health and 5 ways you can address these issues read our blog below: