Catching some Zzzzzs…on the road!

Making the
decision to become a truck driver is incredibly exciting. Being a trucker
allows you to drive and see places all over the country and meet new people all
the time. With the comprehensive training and driving safety instruction from
160 Driving Academy, becoming a truck driver is also a great way to make money
and advance your career.

However,
with so many different loading and unloading times, deadlines, customer
appointments and other hectic aspects of driving, sleep can often fall by the
wayside. You have a delivery at noon today and another at 2:00am? No problem.
Waiting four hours for customers to load or unload the truck once you arrive?
You’ll make it work.

With all
that hustling and bustling, sleep—and driving safety!—still need to be priorities
in order to stay as alert, focused, and productive as possible. When you do get
a chance to rest, take it! “Bedtimes” and schedule breaks will likely change
from day to day, so take advantage of them whenever you can.

Pulling
over at designated truck stops is a no-brainer, but they can get crowded. Using
“downtime” to pull over at rest areas or at the shipping/receiving stations are
other great places to catch some ‘Zzzzzs.’ Avoid pulling over on the side of
highways or undesignated truck areas, as these are not suitable for extended
rest periods and could pose a safety hazard for you and the surrounding drivers.

Once you
do find a suitable stop to rest, using accessories such as dark, light-blocking
curtains for your cab and sleeper can help you drift off more easily. Adding a
sun shade to your windshield, covering electronic lights within the truck and
even wearing an eye mask and/or ear plugs are all great ways to create a sense
of nighttime—anytime!

There are a
number of different ways to stay safe and alert while driving, and getting
sleep is the key. Find out the best environments and tools to make sleeping
easier for you and enjoy the road!

For even more tips and tricks for getting rest
on the road, call 160 Driving Academy today. You can also get more information
about our comprehensive classes, career opportunities and other valuable
resources. Call us today or fill out our quick form to get started today!