DRIVING for Better Business (DfBB), a government backed Highways England campaign, raises awareness of the mental health challenges van drivers face amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Van drivers of all ages are prone to poor mental health due to unpredictable journey times, traffic congestion, tight deadlines, a high workload, and lack of social interaction. Indeed, the suicide rate for van drivers is 25% higher than the national average. These problems have been exacerbated during Covid-19, as increased demand has piled pressure on van drivers in lockdown.
According to a DfBB survey which covered 150 SME business owners and 150 decision makers at board level discussing the impact of Covid-19 on their business, almost a third are concerned about staff mental health (32%).
Meanwhile, only a quarter (25%) of businesses are providing employees with mental health resources during Covid-19.
To help employers support workers in their mental health challenges, DfBB has partnered with CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) to create 20,000 driver information packs and CALM’s free and confidential helpline and webchat.
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