The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and its safety program, TruckSafe, have called for a major overhaul of the medical standards used to assess the health of commercial drivers, arguing that the current system is failing to detect dangerous conditions like sleep apnoea, heart disease and diabetes.
In a detailed submission to the National Transport Commission (NTC) dated 22 May 2025, the ATA recommends adopting a modified version of the NTC’s proposed “Option C”, which includes formal changes to the Assessing Fitness to Drive (AFTD) medical standards. The ATA argues this is the only option capable of preventing future tragedies like the 2018 death of four-year-old Blake Corney, who was killed in a crash involving a truck driver with undiagnosed sleep apnoea.
Health risks too often missed
The submission presents evidence that commercial drivers face a significantly higher risk of serious health conditions. Key findings include:
- 41% of long-distance truck drivers may suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea, yet only 12.2% are flagged through current screening tools like the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
- 8.2% of truck drivers have diabetes, compared to 5.3% of the general population, with several fatal crashes linked to hypoglycaemic episodes.
- 5.3% of truck drivers report cardiovascular disease, with incidents of heart attacks behind the wheel still occurring despite recent medical clearance.
The ATA highlights several fatal crashes linked to undetected or unmanaged health conditions, citing coronial inquests and crash investigations as direct evidence of the flaws in the current approach.
Medical system barriers
A 2023 survey of TruckSafe-registered clinics and practitioners, conducted with Austroads, found widespread concern that AFTD assessments aren’t catching high-risk conditions. While 88% of practitioners supported better preventative health interventions, many warned that fear of losing their licence discourages drivers from disclosing health issues.
ATA Chair David Smith noted, “We cannot achieve zero road deaths and serious injuries if our medical standards continue to miss life-threatening health issues that should be detected and managed.”
Seven key recommendations
The ATA makes seven recommendations to improve both road safety and driver wellbeing:
- Adopt a modified Option C, embedding clear screening requirements for heart disease, diabetes and sleep apnoea into the commercial driver medical standards.
- Add drug screening to medicals, noting a TruckSafe member’s finding that a third of applicants fail or withdraw due to illegal drug use.
- Protect drivers’ livelihoods by allowing those referred for screening to keep driving until a formal diagnosis is made, as long as their GP supports it.
- Improve education for doctors, employers and drivers, especially around managing medication and interpreting screening results.
- Reduce duplicate medicals, by aligning licensing and accreditation schemes (e.g. NHVAS, TruckSafe, Dangerous Goods licensing).
- Make sleep studies affordable, through bulk billing incentives and a loan scheme for CPAP machines.
- Fund non-regulatory health promotion, including $1 million per year for Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds to deliver 4,000 screenings and 10,000 health awareness packs annually.
“Tick and flick” no longer good enough
Workshop participants at Trucking Australia 2025 voiced strong support for reform. One participant described medicals under the current system as “tick and flick”, while others raised concerns about inconsistent standards and the impact on driver numbers.
The submission underscores the point that “providing drivers with information alone is not enough.” Despite decades of health promotion in the industry, undiagnosed conditions are still costing lives.
Next steps
The NTC will now consider the ATA’s recommendations as part of its review of the AFTD medical standards. The submission urges transport ministers to adopt a reform package that strikes a balance between safety and fairness, ensuring that drivers are supported—not punished—when health issues arise.
For more details and links to the submission, visit www.truck.net.au.
