Ways To Avoid Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers spend continuous hours driving from place to place. As everyone knows, driving can become exhausting, leading to driving fatigue. Truck driver fatigue can lead to unsafe road conditions for not only truckers themselves, but others on the road. As a professional qualified driver, it’s your job to ensure you are keeping yourself and others on the road safe at all times. 

Although it’s inevitable that you may find yourself daydreaming from time to time, it’s important that you are doing what you can to prevent driver fatigue while on the road. Here are some trucker hacks that will promote healthy routines that will help you stay focused while driving! 

Get quality sleep

Although it seems more like common sense rather than a trucker hack, getting quality sleep is the most important thing any driver can do to help them stay focused while on the road. The less sleep you get each night will make you more prone to getting fatigued, and vice versa. Making sure to get to bed early on nights before you drive is ultimately the best way for any drive to stay focused on the road!

Sing along to music

A great way to stay alert while driving is by turning your radio up and singing along! When music is played quietly, it can actually make drivers feel more tired. So turn up the tunes and have a little fun while you sing along to your favorite songs! 

Keep your cab nice and cool

Another thing that will help you stay alert is by keeping the inside of your cab cool. High heat may seem nice during the winter months, but is cozier and can cause you to feel drowsy. If you ever feel like the heat is putting you to sleep, one of the best trucker hacks is opening a window for a bit to help bring some cool breeze into your cab!

Stay hydrated

Hydration is key to staying healthy and awake! So make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids, not only while driving but the night before as well. Being dehydrated can lead to drowsiness, headaches, and muscle cramps. 

Maintain a healthy lifestyle

It’s important that all truck drivers are maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both at home and on the road. Developing a regular routine will be highly beneficial in developing this lifestyle. Also, it’s important that you are fueling your body with proper nutrients. Eating candy or drinking soda every day may seem to be alright, as well as give you a little energy boost, however, sugary drinks and snacks can actually make someone more tired. 

Staying true to your daily routine and ensuring you are getting enough sleep and living a healthy life will make driver fatigue less likely to occur. Keep these trucker hacks in mind for whenever you find yourself dozing off on the road! 

Here at TransWood, employee safety is one of our top priorities. Contact us today to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we can help you!