Sadly, this industry has known for a very long time that, some people in society with suicidal ideations choose trucks (or trains/buses) to end their life.
After their death, typically there are numerous emotive reports on TV and radio and in printed media about the tragic loss of life and often loving testimonials are published about how great the person was and the devastating impact of their loss on their family.
Very seldom do the media reports give any indication that the truck (train/bus) driver was not at fault.
Virtually never is there any recognition of the life-long devastating impact on the utterly innocent victims of these fatalities: the truck, train or bus drivers.
Those impacts on the truck drivers often end their careers and none of them, including those who do manage to return to work, are ever quite the same again.
In today’s industry, these drivers typically are provided with professional counselling which helps, but we know from decades-long experience that one of the most harmful impacts for these drivers is the media’s complete lack of empathy and recognition that it was not their fault.
The South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA), got sick and tired of the usual line: “Oh, we mustn’t talk about it because it’ll encourage copycats,” which is what the psychologists call the Werther Effect.
So, in a first in Australia, we decided to take the issue on and lift the discussion and focus on the health and well-being of our industry’s backbone, the drivers.
We came across information about the current psychological understanding which is that there is an opposite to the Werther Effect.
This alternative approach actually works to discourage suicide and gets those contemplating it to consider the devastating and lasting impacts that would have on others, like the innocent truck/train/bus drivers.
This strategy of dissuading people considering suicide through appropriate language is called the Papageno Effect: and it works.
We arranged a high-level meeting within the relevant arms of the state government, including politicians and very senior officers.
Our first meeting, held in Parliament House was on November 1, 2023 at which we established the need for serious discussion to develop strategies to help the drivers and tackle the problem by applying the Papageno Effect.
That lead to a meeting on February 23, 2024 with a broader group of relevant agencies and a media representative.
We need to get the media onside and working with us because they are the main conduit for the public awareness and discussion and for reaching those contemplating suicide.
Since then? ZIP! Despite several attempts to move this ahead, nothing has happened other than a draft from one agency on which we made significant comments because it completely failed to adopt the principles of Papageno Effect and would have continued to sweep the problem, and our drivers’ mental health, under the carpet.
We are aware, however, that government agencies have all been required to develop policies and strategies to reduce the risk of suicide and the associated harm to others. That’s great but what about this nation’s several hundred thousand truck drivers and their families and all those who may seek to end their lives via a truck?
Recent incidents again bring this to the fore and we are fed up waiting for the ball to come back across the net from the government’s side of the court.
Priority must be given to safeguarding and supporting the welfare of the truck (train/bus) drivers. We, society and government, must break loose from the outdated and ineffective practice of silence and its vain hope of avoiding copycats, especially when there is clear scientific evidence of a more effective approach.
SARTA calls on the government and its agencies to progress the critically important life-saving discussions that SARTA initiated in 2023 and work with us to develop and implement strategies that include effective collaboration with the media to apply the Papageno Effect.
• If you, or someone you know needs support, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14, Health in Gear on 1800 464 327, or Beyond Blue at 1300 22 4636.
Steve Shearer is the Executive Officer of the South Australian Road Transport Association.
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