No matter where one chooses to operate a truck, the life of truckers is far from easy.  These individuals transport goods and raw materials from the point of manufacture to the point of use.  In fact, if consumers take a good look around their home, it is difficult to find anything that was not transported on a truck at one point from the manufacturer, farmer or supplier to the consumer.  Truckers on the Croatian Coast Highway face even greater challenges than those on the roads in other sections of the world.

The Adriatic Highway, known in Croatia as Jadranska magistrala is part of the European Route E65 and stretches along the Adriatic Sea’s eastern coast.  The road primarily passes through Croatia, but there are smaller sections located in Bosnia, Montenegro, and Herzegovina.  For the most part, this highway is a two-lane road for its entire length, with a short 4-lane section located between Sveti Juraj near Kaštela and Split.  While plans are in the works to expand the 4-lane section, today’s truckers are still moving along this long and winding, primarily 2-lane highway.

In the future, the Adriatic Ionian motorway is to be completed.  This modern multi-lane highway will replace the Adriatic Highway, providing a high-performance route along the coast.  Until that time, truckers are stuck with this winding highway filled with at grade intersections and dangerous high speed loving Croatian drivers who make the trip even more dangerous.

Officially, the Croatian section of the Adriatic Highway is called D8 state road or Državna cesta D8.  The highway connects the Slovenian border crossing at Rijeka with the Montenegro Border at Karasovići.  Cities located between the two border crossings in Croatia include Senj, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, Opuzen and Dubrovnik.  The Croatian portion of the Adriatic Highway is just less than 400 miles (643 kilometers).  For truckers, these 400 miles of highway are considered some of the most dangerous in the world.

In the past 10 to 15 years, multilane highways have been built further inland to help reduce the traffic on D8.  Additional motorways continue to be built paralleling the road, including A7, A6 and A1.  However the D8 is a more familiar route to many drivers and remains more popular, even though it is considered more dangerous with the numerous blind curves along the way.  In addition, as a state road, D8 remains popular as an alternative to tolled highways, even though travel on the road will take considerably more time.  During the summer months, traffic is even more intense due to the substantial number of vehicles attributed to tourism along the coast.

Some of the heaviest traffic is found between Rijeka and Senj.  The alternative routes along A1 or A6 are considerably longer than this section of the D8.  Truckers may not be aware that these alternative routes can normally be driven in a shorter amount of time, due in part to the fact that until 2009, the A6 had some slow semi-highway sections along the route.  However, with the completion of this section of highway, travel along the alternative route normally can be completed in significantly less time.  Completion of the A7 is expected to reduce some of the traffic and congestion of this section of the coast highway.  Truckers can avoid many of the dangers of the congested coast highway by choosing the alternative routes that provide safer and faster travel to their destination.

Truckers will find the Croatian roads in general are dangerous due to their narrow and twisty nature.  The highways often lack markings or warning signs making them more dangerous.  Cut into the sides of hills and mountains, there is little room for lay-bys or even side rails.  During the tourist season, there are many travelers paying more attention to the stunning scenery on the jagged coast than to the road.  This can make driving these roads a scary proposition, especially when your vehicle is a large truck.

Once truckers pass from Croatia into Montenegro the Adriatic coast highway is their only option for travel.  All traffic crossing the border into this country from the other Croatian roads is now forced back onto this narrow two lane highway.  Although not known to be as dangerous as portions of the D8 in Croatia, the congestion can cause this trip to be dangerous for the truckers.

Truckers in Croatia should know that the state is serious about limiting alcohol consumption of motor vehicle operators.  A controversial law reduced the limit to 0.0% until 2004, when the legal limit was raised to 0.05%.  However, with the road conditions in the country, truckers will want to be sure they have all their mental facilities available before sitting behind the wheel.

The government has set the speed limits to follow these general rules:

Inhabited Areas – 50 km/h Outside Inhabited Areas – 90 km/h Marked Expressways – 110 km/h Marked Motorways – 130 km/h

However, drivers are expected to follow any specially posted speed limits in local areas.

Life on the road as truckers has many difficulties.  Drivers are often away from families for days at a time.  They spend hours behind the wheel and may sleep in the vehicle only to wake up and head off again.  Rates of pay often vary greatly by location where the individual is driving as well as what is being transported.  While many are privileged to drive their rigs on modern super highways where laws are strictly enforced, others must drive on some of the most dangerous highways in the world.  Truckers who use the Croatian coast highway are among the latter group.  Many of these truckers spend practically every day of the week avoiding the dangers found on the road.  Some will give their lives in an attempt to deliver goods from the manufacturer or farmer to the consumer.  Those who are not truckers owe these professionals a debt of gratitude.  Without their work, the food you eat, clothes you wear and homes in which you live would not exist.  The work of truckers is necessary for life as it is known today.

More Of The World Most Dangerous Highways

The Sichuan-Tibet Highway: Worlds Most Dangerous Highway China
Brazilian Truckers And The BR-116 (The Highway Of Death)
World’s Most Dangerous Roads: The A44, U.K

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Traumatic experiences are part of human life and experiences. The effects of trauma can last for a short or long period depending on the

situation and person involved. Military veterans may find it difficult to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression experienced in combat. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 30 percent of Vietnam veterans have struggled with PTSD. The ensuing Desert Storm War and Operation Iraqi Freedom have seen a rise in PTSD cases. Statistics from the VA Department shows that both wars have respectively registered 10 and 20 percent PTSD cases. Military personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan exhibit a high PTSD prevalence. At least one in five soldiers from these two wars has PTSD. A veteran who finds work as atruck driver might experience difficulties in the new work environment. Several Acts have been enacted in a bid to improve the economic situation for veterans. These efforts are commendable but the PTSD situation calls for more research, treatment, and support efforts.

Understanding PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been known by names such as battle fatigue and shell shock. This debilitating condition develops after witnessing fatal or life threatening situations. This leads to a feeling of helplessness, extreme fear, and horror. Most of these experiences occur on the battlefield. PTSD symptoms will vary from person to person. This is due to the unique nature of every person’s DNA make up and ability to handle stressful situations. You can leave the military feeling healthy only to develop PTSD a few months or years later. Others may develop PTSD a few hours or days after combat. Some of the situations that may lead to PTSD include war, terror attacks, natural disasters, kidnapping, assault, death of a dear friend or companion, and rape. PTSD cuts across all races, ages, and gender. Data published by the VA Department shows that 71 percent of female personnel in the military suffer from PTSD. This is astonishing considering 17 percent of the military population is made up of female personnel.

Signs and symptoms

Military personnel have different trauma experiences from normal trauma. All traumatic events will make the person involved feel numb and afraid. These feelings may last for a few days and subside after some time. You might have might have nightmares and shudder at the thought of going through the same experience again. Most of these symptoms ebb away with time and life continues as usual. However, PTSD symptoms are not short lived but last for a long time. Veterans suffering from PTSD will feel like being stuck in a rut. Mental health experts have recognized three key PTSD symptoms. These include:

 

 

 

• Experiencing the traumatic event repeatedly This phase involves experiencing continuous memories of the same event. The flashbacks will make you behave as if the event is happening again at the present time. When this happens, the heart rate increases rapidly followed by sweating and rapid breathing. This will happen even when you are in bed sleeping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Deliberately avoiding reminders You will find it difficult to be in places or surroundings that remind you of the traumatic event. Many veterans lose interest in activities that were a joy in the past. This is accompanied by feelings of numbness and detachment from reality. Most of the veterans who experience these feelings do not expect to live a normal life again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Increased anxiety The person suffering from PTSD will have difficulty focusing on a given task. This is because you will be extremely anxious and easily startled by unexpected movements. In such a situation, it is easy to lose your cool. These symptoms make it hard for a veteran to thrive as trucker. A PTSD patient driving a truck on a busy highway will snap easily if other drivers block the road ahead. A tire burst may cause intense flashbacks while behind the wheel. This is not only dangerous to the trucker but to other road users as well.

These symptoms will make you feel depressed and guilty. The resulting self-blame attitude has led many veterans to dabble in drugs. Trapped in this unending cycle, some veterans entertain suicidal thoughts. If help is not available, the results can be fatal. This is why many veterans suffering from PTSD find it difficult to trust anyone else.   Diagnosis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Veterans in the trucking industry should seek professional help before PTSD symptoms become worse. Diagnosis begins with a complete evaluation of your past medical history. This is important in order to address the root cause and rule out other physical ailments. The initial examination can be carried out by your doctor before referral to a specialist. Mental health professional are involved in the next step. This includes psychologists and psychiatrists who will carry out a thorough assessment of your mental state. Your interaction with a mental health expert will be the basis for treatment. The assessment takes into account the severity of PTSD symptoms. There is no standard PTSD benchmark or threshold. Most psychiatrists and psychologists recommend treatment if symptoms have been exhibited for more than one month. Early medical intervention is the best way to treat PTSD. This will save you a lot of physical and emotional trouble. The National Center for PTSD has published a study showing that PTSD can result in heart problems. As a trucker, you need to have a healthy heart or else it will be impossible to work in a demanding environment.

Risk Factors

It is important to note that anyone can develop PTSD. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 31.3 million people develop PTSD. Women seem to be highly susceptible to PTSD. Data published by HHS shows women are twice as likely to develop PTSD as men. Up to 80 percent of people who experience severe trauma end up with PTSD symptoms. These statistics show that PTSD is not a scourge affecting military veterans alone. Certain individuals may or may not develop PTSD depending on exposure to certain risk factors. Traumatic events that occur over a long period will most certainly result in PTSD symptoms. Acts that are intentionally perpetrated by other people also carry a high PTSD risk. This includes physical assault, rape, and neglect. Veterans who experienced traumatic experiences as children will find it difficult to cope with stressful combat situations. The same is true for veterans with a family history of depression, physical abuse, drug abuse, and PTSD. Continuous stress in daily life will make you a PTSD candidate. There are people who cope well after a traumatic event. If you find it hard to cope well after such events, the risk of developing PTSD is very high. As a veteran truck driver, you may lack the necessary support after going through trauma. This makes the situation even worse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treatment

The good news is PTSD treatment can help you live life to the fullest. Treatment is geared towards helping you regain emotional and physical balance. Treatment usually involves a combination of medical intervention and psychotherapy. Your doctor will help you to learn how to cope with trauma event triggers. Some of the tools used include expressing your fears about the event and coping with the memories. The following are some of the psychotherapy approaches employed.

• Group therapy This is carried out by a counselor in a setting where people with similar PTSD symptoms talk about personal experiences. This will help you open up and stop bottling up fear and anger. As a trucker, you will find this avenue offers a chance to trust other people in the same situation.

• Family therapy PTSD affects the person who is going through the trauma experience as well as family members. Working with loved ones can be productive and lead to healing within a short time. The support and love provided by family members can be the difference between hopelessness and healing. Communication during this difficult period is vital.   • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) This is a new approach that encompasses aspects of cognitive-behavioral therapy. Your treatment sessions include learning how to manipulate information-processing systems. This comes in handy when you are about to relive the same experience once again.

• Exposure Therapy This involves reliving the same experience in a controlled environment. Your doctor may introduce objects that trigger flashbacks. This is done with the aim of helping you come face to face with the anxiety-causing event. This technique has been used to treat PTSD in many veterans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medication

Doctors also prescribe a wide range of medications to treat PTSD. The medicines are used to control anxiety and depression. Your doctor will prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft, and Elavil. Other medications include mood stabilizers such as Lamictal, tranquilizers such as Ativan, and neuroleptics such as Seroquel. All of these will help make you to be less irritable and worried. There are many organizations ready to help veterans struggling with PTSD. Healing will not happen overnight. It takes treatment, taking positive steps to avoid hopelessness, and having a support network around you. It is wise to practice relaxation techniques. These will come in handy whenever you are in a stressful situation. You must avoid negative influences and drugs like the plaque. Occupy your time with pleasant activities to avoid negative thoughts creeping into your mind. Isolation is the worst enemy you can entertain.

This Article is for all the Veterans out there. On this Memorial Day weekend let us not forget the sacrafice they gave for our freedom.

The Truth A Veterans Story
My Ebook Highest Salary Trucking Jobs Free To All Veterans
Protect Your CDL

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Named by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s longest Drivable roads, the Pan American Highway has its own share of dangerous sections too. The highway runs for over 30,000 miles cutting through the North and South American continents. Many competent truckers have made it from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to the lower cities of South America. As any Trucker who has had the honor of completing this challenge will tell you, the most treacherous section of this highway lies in Costa Rica. In fact this section is so perilous that it is considered as one world’s most dangerous roads.

The State Of Roads In Costa Rica

There are three categories for Costa Rican country roads. They range from bad, terribly bad, and extremely atrocious. Most sections of the Pan American Highway in Costa Rica are either a network of unpaved but connected routes or paved surfaces riddled with untold number of large potholes. Roads in Costa Rica are normally paved with an economically thin layer of asphalt which is easily washed away in most sections during the rainy season. This creates numerous potholes rarely addressed by the government.

Any “reluctant” attempt by the government to fill the potholes only results in half baked work which worsen the road conditions by creating a pattern of bumpy rises amid potholes. Ironically the less travelled roads such as the route leading south from Dominical to Palmar, or the northwest road that cuts across Volcanos Tenerio and Miravalles to Orosi, get the smoothest and thickest layer of asphalt. Some sections of the Pan American Highway in Costa Rica are simply bare gravel and in such a bad need of maintenance that most local and foreign  Truckers wonder if the country has road graders.

The situation is worse on unpaved roads. These roads are basically made of crushed rock. Truckers have developed a high level of dexterity from driving side to side in search of the flattest stretch to drive on. There are potholes on unpaved roads too. The norm is to take your time driving around the potholes while seeking for the flattest surface with the sole guidance of the roads center line, wherever there is one. A speed of 20 kilometers per hour while circumventing potholes and rocky bumps along this road is an impressive feat for a seasoned Trucker.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truckers have learned to memorize the exact location of some of the worst potholes. These are deep crevices with sharp edges which suddenly appear after a relieving mile or two on paved highway. The government seems reluctant to repair these sudden crevices probably because all truckers and local drivers seem to have memorized the exact location of these potholes. The same applies to highway signs because you will hardly see any along the highway. The locals always know where they are, they have no need for signs.

Truckers will tell you that the terribly bad section between Tilaran and Monteverde is a driver’s paradise compared to the atrocious condition of the stretch known as the Hill of Death between San Isidiro de El General to Cartago. The highway has earned a place among the world’s most dangerous roads primarily because of this Hill of Death section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Isidiro: The Hill Of Death

San Isidiro de El General is 85 miles from the city of San Jose. The 70 mile stretch from San Isidiro to Cartago calls for thorough mental and physical preparation. The drive is however not without pleasant mountain driving experiences and sceneries that reveal a lot about the Costa Rican country life. San Isidiro is in the province of San Jose and is characterized by fertile tropical climate and pleasant looking mountain valleys. Driving in and out of San Isidiro, Truckers are treated to hillside views of new groves and sunny fields of oranges. The mountainous horizons and green valleys provide a breathtaking view until you ram into a massive pothole or miss the next sharp curve.

As the highway winds up the Talamanca Mountain range, truckers and other seasoned drivers are treated to views of several ecosystems of Costa Rica. The drive towards Cartago takes you from 5,000 feet to close to 13,000 feet at Cerro de la Muerte (Hill of Death) which also happens to be highest point in the whole of Costa Rico. The highway narrows down considerably at this height and becomes a zigzag maze through stunted cloud forests and endless fog, especially at higher altitudes. Tired and frustrated drivers worsen the conditions by trying to overtake slow trucks in poor visibility causing near mishaps and sometimes fatal accidents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life Threatening Hazards Along The San Isidiro To Cartago Highway

The life threatening dangers of this Pan American Highway section arise from this region’s rough terrain, land formations, and mountainous climates. The potential to run into flash floods and unexpected landslides while driving up the steep incline is always present especially during the rainy season. The poorly maintained road is riddled with narrow curves along steep cliffs. There is always the chance of a fatigued trucker missing a sharp curve and ending down a deep ravine. This stretch is notorious for accidents due to steep curves and potholes dangerously located close to the edge of the road.

Even the drivable track of the highway leading to the summit is subjected to freezing temperatures especially at night which can be a great test to truckers. Most accidents are caused by poor visibility as truckers strive to make their way through endless fog. The road rises to close to 13,000 feet which presents additional challenges to Truckers in the form of altitude sickness and inability to make accurate judgments. Under such conditions most drivers become irritable and prone to aggressive and irresponsible driving. Fortunately, Truckers always find a respite from the harsh conditions at a restaurant called Las Torres (The Towers) near the summit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Better Alternative

There seems to be little or no government efforts in making the San Isidiro to Cartago stretch of the Pan American Highway safer for both truckers and other road users. The safer alternative is to use the newly paved and well maintained road between Quepos and Dominical. This newly completed highway connects to the Pan American Highway and provides a safer alternative to the Hill of Death road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Of The World Most Dangerous Highways

The Sichuan-Tibet Highway: Worlds Most Dangerous Highway China
Brazilian Truckers And The BR-116 (The Highway Of Death)
World’s Most Dangerous Roads: The A44, U.K

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As a convoy of Chinese  Truckers makes their skyward journey past lonely desolate villages where public transport is almost non-existent and truckers fined heavily for carrying foreign hitchhikers, one can not help but wonder how such laws are enacted and implemented along one of the world’s most dangerous highway. This is the Sichuan-Tibet highway, where danger lies at every turn along the road.

Considered as one of the world’s most deadly highways, the Sichuan-Tibet highway covers a stretch of over 2,415 kilometers connecting the Chinese town of Chengdu in the Sichuan region in the east to the town of Lhasa in Tibet in the west. It traverses a number of rivers rising up 14 mountains with altitudes of between 4,000 and 5,000 meters. One of the most dangerous sections along this highway is the Trola Mountain. Chinese Truckers equate crossing the Trola Mountain snow covered surface during winter to driving through hell. The sight of wrecked vehicles scattered along the highway are a common scene. In 2011, a bus was reported to have veered off the road and plunged into a deep ravine killing 16 passengers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The highway was originally known as Kangding-Tibet Highway. It is in fact part of the No. 318 National Highway. Close to half of the highway’s stretch, over 1,300 kilometers, lies in the Tibet region. This section was open to Lhasa way back in December 1954 but has seen little development until recently. The Sichuan section has seen a number of construction efforts. For instance, it was under construction between 1954 and 1969 which opened up a south line stretching 1,285 kilometers into Tibet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magnificent Scenery And Economic Growth Amid Danger The Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a Trucker’s nightmare, but a tourists’ paradise. It traverses 14 high altitude mountains, a dozen rivers, lakes and awe inspiring valleys, primeval forests, and of course dangerous hairpin curves. There are fine views along the highway combined with unique Tibetan culture, food, and practices. The highway has been of great benefit to the economic development of Tibet. It has also contributed greatly to the region’s social stability and consolidated the East Tibet region into a more economically viable region. The highway links Tibet to other Chinese southwestern provinces opening up trade and economic transaction between previously alienated regions due to historical and political restrictions. The highway is of such great importance that the state has in recent times invested massive resources and capital in reconstruction and maintenance of the key sections of the road.

 

 

 

Currently, over 612 kilometers of the highway section between Nyingchi and Lhasa have been paved with bitumen. There is less traffic congestion along this section with improved driving conditions. The north line of the highway which connects the northwest of the town of Ganzi in the Qinhai Province, Tibet to the Sichuan province has also seen significant improvement in recent times.

The Sichuan-Tibet highway snakes over great rivers such as Dadu, Jinsha, Lantsang, and Nujiang rivers several times. There are numerous dangerous sections along primeval forests with spectacular views combined with unique ethnic customs. A trucker who frequents this highway might not be interested in the scenery as he tries to circumvent his way over the perennial hazards but will clearly elaborate how the scenery changes from warm in spring to bitter cold and snowing during when winter sets in. Winters are considered by Truckers along this route to be ‘bitterly intoxicating’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are trucker’s hotels along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. These rudimentary diners are also frequented by cyclists and adventurous hitch hikers. Food is cheap but the squat toilets are less than desirable in terms of hygiene. The hotels are however off limits for tourists. It is illegal for a tourist to stay in these hotels when there are ‘official’ tourist hotels in major towns charging many times more than the cheap hotels. A trucker can have a one night accommodation and meals for an equivalent of $12.

Life Threatening Hazards Of The Sichuan-Tibet Highway

Some of the greatest dangers truckers face along this highway is high elevation, poor visibility in bad weather, and regular rock slides. The highway was considered to be a major contributor to the 2006 Chinese death toll of over 82,000 road fatalities in a year. Rock falls and landslides are a common feature along this mountain-winding highway. A shower of large boulders often lands on unsuspecting truckers without warning. There is also the Si Du River Bridge to contend with while driving up the highway. Crossing the bridge is an ultimate test in driving skills as it has the world’s highest vertical clearance.

The Sichuan-Tibet Highway is also infamously known for bad driving surfaces and sharp mountain-side hairpins. Driving along single track sections in bad weather can be a great challenge to a less experienced Chinese trucker. There are long stretches of the highway winding dangerously on the edge of mountains without barriers providing thrill and spill opportunities. Winter brings in further challenges when snow, fog, and harsh winds limit visibility to a few meters ahead.

Rain, ice, and a host of other chilly winter challenges last for close to ten months making driving along this road a treacherous journey even for most experienced truck driver. The months of July and August are expected to bring driving relief to truck drivers but this is hardly the case. July and especially August are the wettest months in most parts of China. The road is not paved which makes it a mud trap during the rainy season. You will often come across thousand car jams stretching for miles. The real danger is not in getting stuck in the jam but in the hostilities that crop up among bored drivers. There are constant fights, theft, harassment, and even kidnappings for money when drivers are stuck in the mud for weeks.

Reconstruction Efforts

The Chinese government continues to make diligent efforts to open up the occupied region of Tibet to make it commercially viable as a tourist destination. Some of these efforts include building one of the world’s highest highway tunnels along the Trola Mountain section of the highway. The tunnel will link the Sichuan’s capital of Chengdu to Tibet’s Lhasa. This tunnel is expected to save truckers from the perennial dangers of hairpin curves and Rockslides.

Further Reading Of The Worlds Truckers

Brazilian Truckers And The BR-116 (The Highway Of Death)
Lorry Trucker UK
Austrailian Truckers

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Brazil in South America is quite a huge country. According to ANTT which is the Brazilian Ground Transportation Agency, the country’s trucking industry is made up of more than 46,000 companies, 95% of these companies being small and medium-sized companies. The industry also boasts of close to 310,000 transporters who are self-employed and who render their services to transport companies and other private companies. The industry owns an estimated 1.85 million trucks that transport 80% of the country’s GDP. This accounts for more than 60% of the total freight. Trucking constitutes the country’s primary mode of moving freight. Truckers in Brazil are generally employed by independent operators who do not have the capacity to provide centralized services for moving large volumes of freight. As a matter of fact, the ANTT has it that 56.6% of the entire fleet is owned by self-employed truckers who are also responsible for the bulk of freight transport in the country.

 

 

 

 

 

The BR-116 Highway

The country’s highway network is quite vast. However, BR-116 happens to have the highest concentration of Truckers. With a total length of 2,700 miles, it is the second longest highway and connects Fortaleza in Ceará State with Jaguarão near the Uruguay border, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It runs from the north of Brazil to the south and is roughly parallel to the coastline. All highways in Brazil that are named BR-100 to BR-199 tend to have a south-north orientation and the BR-116 is no exception. Truckers have a hard time negotiating this road due to its high cliff sides on some sections and rough weather. The São Paulo-Curitiba section (Rodovia Régis Bittencourt) is especially notorious and has been named Rodovia DA Morte or the highway of death and rightly so. Truckers leaving São Paulo for Curitiba exit through the Vale Da Ribeira before proceeding into the Serra do Mar and ultimately, the Paraná plateau that lies beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Most Dangerous Section of the BR-116

This section of the highway has witnessed numerous accidents involving trucks and other types of vehicles. It constitutes the largest number of highway deaths in the state of São Paulo. This section of the highway is nearly always featured in websites that categorize the world’s most dangerous highways in the world. Sections of the BR-116 have other official names as illustrated above. The section connecting São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro is referred to by the Portuguese speaking natives as the “Rodovia Presidente Dutra”, which in English roughly means death highway. Apart from being the busiest section of the highway, it is the lifeline of more than 200,000 people. Truckers transport freight to ten different states in Brazil that are connected by this section. It also links up some major Brazilian cities such as Pelotas, Porto Alegre, Sao Paulo, Sao Jose dos Campos, Vitoria da Conquista, Feira de Santana, Muriaé Governador Valadares, Teófilo Ottoni, Caxias do Sul, Curitiba, Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza.

 

 

 

BR-116 Vices And Distractions

It would be hard to talk about trucking on the BR-116 without touching on the thriving sex trade along the 2,700mile-long highway. The highway is dotted by villages and towns along its span. The breadth of the BR-116 is largely composed of poverty-stricken areas where girls as young as 9 years engage in prostitution. They specifically target the truckers who comprise more than 60% of the vehicular traffic. According to UNICEF, the BR-116 is the most active highway in the world in terms of sexual exploitation of minors. Brazil is only second to Thailand in terms of children engaging in prostitution and a good number of them can be found on the BR-116 where they wait for truckers to pick them up.

 

 

 

 

 

Driving on the BR-116 demands that a trucker be attentive, alert and constantly concentrates on the road ahead. According to medical experts, there is so significant association between loss of concentration, tiredness, fatigue and automobile accidents. Truckers on the BR-116 suffer from exhausting work schedules which can lead to high blood pressures and cardiovascular alterations. Long haul truckers in Brazil also suffer from lack of career adaptation and stress. These factors are associated with mental disorders. The use of alcohol and medication to enhance alertness by truckers on the BR-116 is consistent with common strategies of coping with professional and personal situations. The strategies tend to focus on the problem itself as well as the associated emotions and eventually mitigate or accelerate career adaptation. The high number of accidents on the São Paulo-Curitiba section of the BR-116 can therefore be associated with the general state of the driver which eventually determines how they handle the truck in this dangerous section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

All said, it is imperative that a trucker maintains healthy lifestyles and habits. ANTT is currently creating awareness among truckers on this route and indeed all over the country so that they can avoid the use of sleep inhibitors and alcohol. This will reduce the interruption of their physiological functions and hence reduce truck related accidents on the BR-116 and specifically on the Rodovia da Morte stretch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BR-116 Contribution to Brazil’s Economy

In Brazil, the trucking industry accrues flight revenues from tariffs, which are basically determined by the merchandise volume and the distance transported. Just like in all other world economies, the impact of transport on commodity prices cannot be ignored. Factory-made products owe 0.8 to 2.0% of their final price to these tariffs while 15 to 20% of agricultural commodity prices can be traced to these tariffs. The tariffs that govern the trucking industry are linked to fuel prices. Price increases on oil products have a heavy bearing on Brazil’s trucking services largely the industry is powered by diesel. Brazilian trucking industry consumes a lot more diesel fuel/ton-km than the shipping and rail sectors. Truckers in Brazil intimate that the main costs associated with their business are freight insurance, spare parts, fuel (largely diesel), truck maintenance and cost as well as highway tolls and taxes. Lack of proper highway conservation and maintenance has a direct effect on the truckers through numerous accidents and higher fuel consumption.

 

 

 

 

Brazil’s Trucking Model

Brazil’s trucking industry model is based on the free-market principle. This means that a trucker can operate in Brazil without a specific licensing requirement. The only regulations that affect Brazilian truckers are rules that govern the transportation of hazardous cargo or freight. The industry has no specific legislation, no concessions, authorizations or special permits. Tariffs are also established without any restrictions whatsoever. This explains why Truckers and trucking companies in Brazil are classified under micro, small and medium enterprises due to their informal mode of conducting business.

 

 

 

Further Reading Truckers All Over The  World

The Sichuan-Tibet Highway: Worlds Most Dangerous Highway Truckers
Lorry Trucker UK
Austrailian Truckers

 

 

This Article is dedicated to my Grandson who was born yesterday Monday June 18th 2012.  Aiden Kovak was born in Three Rivers, Michigan to parents Tyler and Nick Kovak. He weighed 7 lbs 7 oz.

 

 

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