Brain Injury Awareness Month is here this June
Why Brain Injury Awareness Matters to Alberta’s Commercial Transportation Industry
June is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to shine a spotlight on an often invisible yet deeply life-altering injury. Brain injuries are not always as visible as broken bones or sprains, and while much public discourse is centered around sports concussions, the impact reaches far beyond the playing field. These injuries can have a profoundly devastating impact on the lives of workers, their families, and the communities they belong to, including those in Alberta’s commercial transportation industry.
According to the Mayo Clinic, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are most often caused by falls, acts of violence, sports-related impacts, and, in some cases, blast injuries. In commercial transportation, falls and collisions are among the more common causes, and their consequences can be severe. Brain injuries don’t just affect one area of a person’s health. They can impair memory, emotion regulation, motor skills, and communication, with impacts that can be long-term and life-changing.
Alberta’s Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, Jason Nixon, has shared how brain injury touched his own family through a serious collision involving his son.
“Brain injuries don’t just heal with time like a broken bone,” he says. “They affect memory, emotions, movement, and even the ability to talk.”
Minister Nixon also noted that approximately 5,000 Albertans suffer a brain injury each year, with each case being unique and unpredictable. Recovery is rarely straightforward, and support systems must reflect that complexity.
Why Brain Injuries Matters in Commercial Transportation
According to WCB data from 2019 to 2024 shows that brain injuries do occur within the trucking sector, and they’re often preventable. The leading cause of workplace brain injuries was falling to a floor or walkway, with 109 reported incidents. Of these, concussions were by far the most common outcome, significantly outpacing other types of brain injuries. The most frequent sources of injury were trucks themselves and the ground surfaces around them, each involved in 78 cases.
Seasonal trends also show spikes in incidents during the colder months. January saw the highest number of injuries (84), followed closely by February (78) and March (77). The frequency declines over the summer months, before rising again in the fall, a pattern that likely reflects the increased risks posed by icy surfaces, reduced daylight, and driver fatigue during winter.
Beyond the human toll, brain injuries come with a high financial cost. WCB states that, from 2019 to 2024, the annual cost of brain injuries in the workplace ranged from $647,415 to over $1.57 million. Even in the lower-cost years, the financial burden on employers and the system remains significant.
A Call to Action for Commercial Carriers
For Alberta’s commercial transportation industry, these numbers underscore the importance of proactive safety strategies. Fall prevention training, fatigue management, and increased ergonomic awareness in and around the cab are all vital. Alberta’s Class 1 Learning Pathway, combined with AMTA’s commitment to a safety-first culture, offers an opportunity to integrate head injury prevention into regular driver training and workplace practices.
This Brain Injury Awareness Month, we encourage all members of the transportation industry to recommit to prioritizing mental and physical well-being behind the wheel. Whether it’s through safer work environments, the right PPE, or education on how to recognize and respond to potential brain injuries, we all have a role to play in reducing harm.
Together, we can protect the people who keep Alberta moving and create a safer future for everyone on the road.