How safe and protected do female drivers feel in the road transport industry?

According to a study conducted by Women in Truck, while most women believe the trucking industry is safe, many female professionals still have safety and harassment concerns.

The Women in Trucking Association (WIT) recently published a study that aims to give female drivers a voice on safety and harassment issues present in the male-dominated trucking industry. While professional truck driving can be a rewarding career choice for women, it is not without concerns or drawbacks.

One of the most important findings of the "2022 WIT Female Driver Safety and Harassment Study” is that most of the 450 female professional drivers surveyed agree that the trucking industry is safe (54%), unlike 18% of drivers that still think trucking is not a secure industry for women. Interestingly, a considerable percentage (28.5%) did not strongly agree that the trucking industry is safe.

When asked where they see the most significant safety concern for female drivers, most respondents (87%) identified truck stops as unsafe places for women, while 85.5% mentioned resting areas. Additionally, 75% of women said that their cabins have significant safety threats, and 74% identified shippers/receivers facilities as locations with also high threats to their safety.

The fact that male trainers conduct the training of new female drivers most of the time may also present a potential safety risk and hinder the access of more women to the profession. According to the WIT research project, a significant number of the inquired women (42.5%) reported being aware of actual harassment or assault cases during training. Moreover, 62.5% of respondents believe that implementing same-sex training programs would encourage more women to pursue a career as professional drivers. 
Do you know how safe female drivers feel in your fleet? This is an increasingly important question for fleet managers and owners worldwide as it directly affects the industry's ability to recruit and retain female drivers.
 
Source:
Women in truck