Thanks to the data about the location of the truck and the vigilance of the carrier, a truck driver who had a stroke is still alive. Mindfulness and a quick phone call to an employee located 1.5 thousand kilometers away from home, saved the trucker’s life.

A 59-year-old driver working for a carrier based in Sofia, Bulgaria stopped last week in a car park at the Italian A-55 near Turin. This stop lasted longer than it should have been – said his boss, who located the truck using GPS. The entrepreneur decided to call the driver and check if everything was all right. The man did not answer. Then the carrier called the cafe located at the inn where the trucker was located.

The staff who immediately went looking for the truck, found a driver lying on the floor of the cabin. To get him out, they had to break the window. It turned out that the 59-year-old had a stroke. Immediately, help was called, and the trucker was quickly taken to the hospital. His condition is severe, but the man is alive. If it were not for the reaction of the employer and the staff of a nearby cafe, it could have ended tragically.

How to recognize a stroke?

Patricia Rubik from the „Truckers Life” Foundation talks about how to recognize the stroke:

If we recognize facial asymmetry, one-sided paresis of the limbs, disturbances in vision, speech or balance, we probably are dealingwith a stroke. Symptoms often include dizziness and nausea. In this situation, you should urgently call an ambulance, because every minute is worth its weight in gold!”

Prevention, above all

To prevent a stroke, it is important to first prevent diseases that increase the risk of stroke – arterial hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

A healthy diet and physical activity (movement improves blood circulation, regulates blood pressure, makes the vessels more flexible) reduces pressure, reduces stimulants and stress” – emphasizes Patrycja Rubik.

If you are a professional driver and need support on the way to change your lifestyle, the Truckers Life Foundation will help you, researching, educating and providing drivers with tools to improve their health.