Are you preparing for a long-distance truck drive? This article explores everything you should keep in mind before you hit the road. Keep reading below to find out more!
Truckers drive for a living. And, often, this means taking some really long trips that not all drivers will be able to survive. All these long drives involve passing by many highways, multiple states, and hours and hours of staying focused behind the wheel.
Now, all these may sound easy. But, in reality, driving for long hours can really be mentally and physically taxing. It’s not easy to stay focused on what is happening on the road and practice preventive driving to avoid all sorts of accidents and incidents. But, with the proper preparation before you hit the road, you can make this long journey less complicated and uncomfortable.
Here’s how to efficiently prepare for long-distance drives when you work as a truck driver:
Get sufficient sleep
We can’t stress this idea enough: proper sleep is essential when preparing for a drive, especially a long-distance one.
Not being well-rested before you get behind the wheel leads to drowsy driving, which leads to several mistakes done while at the wheel and significantly increases the risk of accidents. Unfortunately, drowsy driving is actually responsible for a troubling number of injuries and deaths annually, according to the Sleep Foundation.
So, before you hit the road, make sure that you get sufficient sleep to feel rested, focused, and alert. Also, once you leave, you can recognize that you’re drowsy behind the wheel if you experience:
- Yawning
- Blinking frequently
- Missing your lane
- Having difficulty remembering the last few miles you’ve drove
- Slow reactions
- Drifting from your lane.
If you experience any of these signs while driving, pull over and rest before you continue your drive.
Get insured
You know what they say, “better safe than sorry.” When you are a truck driver and prepare to leave on a long-distance drive, these words should be well imprinted in your mind, especially when it comes to being prepared financially in case of an accident.
Long drives are not risk-free. As tiredness, boredom, and other external factors can affect during your drive, there are many risks of getting involved in a road accident during a long-distance drive. And, should it happen, you wouldn’t want to have to pay for the damages from your own pocket. So, make sure that you explore different truck insurance options before you leave for a long-distance drive and choose the one that suits you best. For extra protection, you should also explore other truck insurance options like bobtail insurance coverage, which specifically protects you financially if an accident occurs when you drive a commercial truck without a trailer or load for personal or commercial purposes.
What’s more, it would also be a good idea to get health insurance for yourself if you get injured in a road accident.
Plan a comfortable outfit
Outfit planning may not sound like an essential thing to consider when preparing for a long-distance drive. Yet, trust us, you’ll thank yourself later for not choosing to wear those tight jeans or that uncomfortable jacket that doesn’t allow you to move freely.
When you know you’ll be sitting in your truck and driving for several hours, it is wiser to wear casual, easy pieces in fabrics that resist wrinkling, don’t make you sweat, or irritate your skin. In other words, choose basic apparel made from high-quality breathable materials.
Prepare an entertaining playlist
Driving alone for several hours can get really boring at some point. There’s no one to talk to. You only do the same repetitive tasks, which can really make you feel sick and tired of your trip.
A nice playlist of your favorite songs may come to your rescue. It can help you make the time pass faster and avoid getting bored to the point where you start feeling sleepy. So, before you hit the road, make sure to prepare a playlist with exciting songs that will keep you entertained and alert when you’re behind the wheel.
Clean your truck cabin
Driving for several hours in a cabin with a funny smell isn’t going to be very enjoyable. What’s more, driving in a messy cabin can also prove to be dangerous at the first sudden break because various objects can fly around the cabin, hitting you or distracting you from what is happening on the road.
So, make sure that before you leave on the road, you clean the interior of your cabin. Get rid of all empty packages that may be laying on the floor, remove all items that could fly around the truck when you break suddenly or when you take a tight turn, and make sure that your cabin smells nice. You will feel much more comfortable driving for hours in a vehicle that sparkles and has a pleasant atmosphere.
Pack some healthy road trip snacks
Eating well before you hit the road is as essential as sleeping well is. But, since you’re off for a drive that will take several hours, you should also prepare some healthy snacks to take with you. Also, don’t forget to bring plenty of liquids with you to stay adequately hydrated during your drive.
Plan your breaks
Frequent breaks are essential to help you stay focused on the road and avoid a disaster. Driving for several hours straight, without any break, can make you feel tired, bored, defocused, and make you lose your patience behind the wheel, and display aggressive driving behavior. All these can put you and other road participants in danger.
So, make sure that you plan to take frequent breaks during your long-distance drive. It is best to plan the locations where you’re planning to stop for a while beforehand. This will keep you more motivated and focused during your drive, knowing that you’ll soon take a break and be able to stretch your legs and back after hours of driving.
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