Tips For Staying Awake While Driving Your Truck
While long-haul trucking is one of the most important services in the modern world for delivering goods efficiently, no one will ever say that it’s an easy job. Fatigue in particular is a serious concern for many truck drivers because of the monotony of driving miles and miles of same-same interstate by yourself, trying to meet deadlines.
A tired driver is a dangerous driver: studies by the National Safety Council have shown that driving while tired is three times more likely to cause a car crash, and driving on 20 hours of no sleep is the same as driving at the legal blood alcohol content limit of 0.08%. Those are some serious statistics!
Whether you manage a fleet or drive as an independent contractor, it pays to have some strategies in your pocket for tired drivers. DeBary Truck Sales is your Florida truck dealer, located in Sanford, FL. Here are some of our best tips for staying awake while driving hundreds of miles a day so that you can keep yourself and the drivers around you safe.
1. Eat a Healthy Diet
It’s all too easy to snack on treats from a gas station like chips, soda and candy when you’re in a hurry, or to pull into a McDonald’s for a quick and cheap hot meal. However, you already know that neither of these options is ideal. They’re just easy, tasty and affordable.
To avoid crashing from sugar highs and getting the jitters from too much gas-station coffee, it’s best to feed yourself nutritious food and to get three square meals per day as often as possible. Proteins can include legumes as well as grilled or baked fish, chicken and tofu. Steamed vegetables and whole-grain rice or bread will help you feel full and satisfied. In the morning, a serving of sliced or whole fruit with some low-sugar oatmeal is an easy option, as is yogurt.
While driving, try to steer clear of more than one or two cups of coffee per day and avoid loading up on sugar. Cold water with lemon or those flavoring drops or some unsweetened iced tea are better options for staying hydrated than soda or energy drinks. When you’re at gas stations, look for cheese, granola, yogurt, air-popped popcorn, nuts, fresh fruit and whole-grain crackers.
2. Take a Nap
Try to get in rest wherever you can, especially before a long stint of driving. Even a 20-minute nap can be helpful, especially right after a cup of coffee. Use your phone alarm to wake yourself up when it’s time to head out. Naps aren’t the only sleep you should get, but whenever you have some extra time on your hands, it’s never a bad idea to shut your eyes and rest. Keep a pillow in your cab so you can relax.
3. Stop More Often
Long drives aren’t just exhausting; they can also make you sore and irritable. While you may want to get your work done as quickly as possible, it behooves you to intersperse more breaks in your day than to pull through. Stretch your legs with a lap around a rest stop, use the bathroom and splash cold water on your face, have a drink and a snack and take some deep breaths of fresh air. You’ll feel much better when you climb back in the cab.
4. Open Your Window
On a warm day, it’s easy to get tired if you’re in a hot cab with no air moving. And in cold weather, that heater might feel nice, but it’ll also make you drowsy. Open your window just a crack to get fresh, cool air flowing through your cab. You’ll feel much more awake, especially if it’s cold.
5. Listen to Something Interesting
Soothing music is nice, but it’s also soporific. Listen to something upbeat with fun lyrics you like to sing or play a podcast about something that fascinates you. You could also load up on language lessons that require you to keep your mind engaged thinking of vocabulary and syntax. Audiobooks of your favorite author’s works will also help you stay focused and alert.
We hope these tips help you to stay safe and alert on all your long-haul trips. Seeking trucks for sale in Miami? Stop by our location in Sanford, FL, to take a look at our full stock of new and used trucks for sale. DeBary Truck Sales proudly serves the greater Atlanta, GA, metropolitan area.