4 Ways to Combat Fatigue on the Road
Staying awake and alert is crucial for your safety as well as other drivers.
Trucking is a challenging, but rewarding, career choice. One of the challenges of driving for a living is that it can be very tiresome. When you’re driving for hours on end, your eyes can easily start to drift shut. Staying awake and alert is crucial for your safety as well as other drivers. Stay safe and awake with these tips!
Plan and Prepare
One of the best ways to combat fatigue is to get a good night’s sleep. That said, sometimes you will have to drive a load through the night so a good night’s sleep isn’t really an option. When you get an assignment that will have you driving into the night, try to adjust your sleep pattern as much as possible beforehand. This way it will be a little less of a shock to your system and you’ll be more well-rested. It is also important to have some healthy snacks that you can just grab and go.
Make Adjustments as Needed
Sometimes you need to make some adjustments to make yourself a little less comfortable. Don’t do anything to cause pain, just adjust every once in a while so you don’t get too comfortable. If you’re too comfortable, it will be more difficult to fight off the fatigue. Rolling down the windows or turning on some A/C to cool yourself off can also help you stay more awake and alert.
Move Around
Sometimes all you need to shake off the fatigue is to move around a little bit. Put on a fun playlist while you drive. Take a walk at the next truck stop or fuel station. Even just a quick stretch while you’re waiting on a customer could be enough to get your blood flowing and help you wake up a little.
Take a Break
If all else fails, sometimes you just need a break and that is perfectly okay. Just pull off at the nearest rest stop, turn off your lights and radio, set yourself an alarm, and take a nap. As little as thirty minutes of sleep could make a world of difference!
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