(NewsNation) — The daily life of a long-haul truck driver often means long hours behind the wheel.
The typical long-haul tractor-trailer driver travels enough miles every year to circumnavigate the earth five times, coming out to a whopping 125,000 miles a year. For perspective, the average person drives just over 14,000 miles a year.
All this travel levels out to about 60 to 70 hours a week on the road, which could potentially take a toll on the driver’s health. Spending long hours on the highway without breaks can exhaust drivers and make driving harder. This is why truckers are legally required to take a 10-hour break after 14 hours on the road, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Life on the road can also be difficult, with irregular schedules, little physical activity, stress and limited access to healthy foods while traveling on interstates.
This daily lifestyle can have a significant long-term impact on a truck driver’s health. Long-haul truck drivers are more at risk for diabetes, heart disease and obesity, according to a 2010 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.