Anyone who drives America’s interstate highways knows the feeling: What you’re doing is inherently dangerous, and death can be the result of a moment’s inattention. That stress can be exhilarating, or it can be terrifying, but it cannot be ignored.

Therefore, people who subject themselves to long periods of time driving on America’s highways are subjecting their bodies to the need to be acutely attentive for hours at a time. It’s like bathing in stress whenever you drive. And the cumulative effects can be devastating.

The Handbook of Stress in the Occupations provides a more clinical appreciation of the impacts of commercial driving on mental health:

[The work requires] long periods of concentration in challenging physical conditions with potentially serious consequences to personal and public health. […] Job strain may increase the risk of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, and contribute to hypertension, cardiovascular disease and sleep disorders.

After a long stretch in tight traffic, drivers will find their adrenaline and cortisol levels elevated and may have trouble calming themselves down. This is where displacement comes in.

According to the Unified Theory of Addiction, the increased stress must be displaced in order to return to homeostasis. Drivers need to “unwind” after a difficult stretch behind the wheel. The ways in which they unwind are often unhealthy and include eating addiction, gambling addiction, and substance use disorders.

Regarding the stress of commercial driving, the Handbook says, “[E]xtended external stress can limit the ability of the body to regulate physiological processes.” They note that commercial bus drivers exhibit elevated heart rate and stress-related hormones during working hours. Among the unhealthy outcomes for commercial drivers are:

• elevated rates of overweight
• elevated rates of obesity
• increased cholesterol levels
• increased serum glucose
• increased relationship/family problems
• increased rates of suicide

A survey of long-haul truck drivers in Australia found they committed suicide at the astounding rate of 10%. A groundbreaking, 12-year study into commercial truck drivers conducted by Monash University in Australia found that the chances of dying on the job were 13 times higher than average, making it one of the most dangerous occupations in the country.

When you start with an activity that is incredibly dangerous, and you require continuous attention for hours on end, over time, the chronic stress leads to mental health problems. Half of the drivers in the Monash University study reported experiencing “psychological distress” due to their work. The rate of “severe psychological distress” for drivers under 35 years of age was double the average for all workers of that age. The study points out that more Australian men are employed as commercial drivers than any other single profession.

A scoping review of health outcomes for commercial drivers published in BMC Mental Health found they have elevated risks for:

• anxiety
• depression
• stress
• PTSD
• sleep difficulties
• alcohol consumption
• nicotine consumption
• the use of illicit drugs

With few opportunities for exercise and a scarcity of nutritious food choices, commercial drivers unsurprisingly consume more fast food than average, have a “lower fruit intake,” and experience a lack of physical activity. Many may be unaware that it is the stress of driving itself that may be causing them to displace that stress with unhealthy activities.

Researchers recommend that driving times be limited and rest breaks enforced. It’s important for drivers to exercise during rest stops and to pack nutritious foods rather than settle for fast food. Hydration is also important to reducing fatigue and highway stress. Finally, researchers say travelling with another person rather than solo “reduced musculoskeletal issues and emotional exhaustion.”

It’s best to consider what driving does to your nervous system before you get behind the wheel. Make preparations to reduce the potential stress of your trip in advance. If you regularly commute long distances, consider the impacts on your mental health from that much driving. Consider commuting or joining a rideshare. Adding just one person to your vehicle could have a cumulative effect on your mental health.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published April 20, 2026.

Sources:

“Monash study finds truck driving among Australia’s most dangerous jobs,” Monash University, August 22, 2018.

“Working conditions of commercial drivers: a scoping review of psychosocial work factors, health outcomes, and interventions,” BMC Mental Health, October 24, 2024.

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