Tips for Truck Drivers
Tips for Creating Your Optimal Sleep Environment.
Rest and Road Safety. Tips for truck drivers, motorists, and more
Working as a truck driver or as a coach and bus driver requires a high level of alertness, which is difficult to maintain over long periods. To fully understand this, let's look at how our brain works.
In the hours after rest, we have a peak level of alertness that tends to decrease throughout the day. After 16 hours of constant wakefulness, our mind becomes foggy. We feel tired, fatigued, and struggle to carry out any activity, including driving, which instead requires a high level of concentration.
Microsleeps and Road Accidents
It is estimated that drowsiness is the cause of 6% of road accidents, a percentage that rises to 21% when considering fatal accidents. Accidents caused by microsleeps have particularly severe consequences because the driver is unaware of what is happening and cannot perform corrective maneuvers.
Create Your Ideal Rest Environment
Darkness
Close the shutters or curtains to create a dark environment, or use an eye mask.
Silence
Use earplugs to reduce noise.
Temperature
Maintain a cool temperature in the cabin (18°-20°C).
Comfort
Use a quality mattress and pillows.
Schedule
Try to sleep for the amount of time needed for restorative rest (7-8 hours for adults).
3 Rules +1 to Avoid Microsleeps
Schedule
Try to avoid driving between 4-6 a.m. and between 2-4 p.m.
Duration
Do not stay behind the wheel for more than 16 hours, including breaks.
Food
Eat regularly throughout the day, avoiding heavy meals in the evening.
Medications
Avoid medications that can increase drowsiness, such as anxiolytics, antidepressants, antihistamines, etc.
Only get behind the wheel if you have had enough sleep the previous night. If you feel sleepy while driving, take a break at a service station. Opening the window for fresh air, smoking, or turning up the radio volume are not enough. Drinking a coffee can help, but only if you've taken a nap first!