Tips for Battling Truck Driver Fatigue

The Junction LLC

Author

August 5, 2019

Truck Driver Fatigue The Junction LLC LTL & FTL Truckload

Drowsy driving accounts for between 16 and 22% of all car crashes. Twenty five percent of truck drivers have even fallen asleep at the wheel. Truck driver fatigue accounts for 13% of large truck crashes. You can head off fatigue at the pass (pun intended) by following some of the recommendations below.

Tips for Battling Truck Driver Fatigue

Herein comprised is a short list of some of the most powerful things you can do to hedge against truck driver fatigue. 

Get Plenty of Sleep

Truck drivers average less than five hours of sleep each night, but adults require between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. You don’t need any more sleep than a person working a typical 9-5 job, but you do need at least that amount of sleep. You might be able to get by with less sleep at a desk job because you can daydream, doze off, or rest periodically, and your boss might not notice. But when you’re on the road, you have to be alert the whole time you’re driving. You can’t afford to get less than the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep each night.

Take a Nap Before Getting on the Road

If you somehow didn’t get the required amount of sleep the night beforehand, take a short power nap. Even an hour nap can give you that boost you’ll need to keep going strong the whole day long.

Eat the Right Stuff

If you’re a big fan of sugary soft drinks and fatty foods, you’re not alone. A lot of truck drivers are used to eating fast food on the road, but it’s not a wise move. You need to eat low-sugar, high-fiber foods and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. You want a good even keel of energy throughout the day, rather than spikes and drops. Low blood sugar can lead to dizziness, fainting, or worse. You don’t want to suddenly feel bad when you’re behind the wheel because your diet is working against you. If you start eating healthy snacks and drinking smoothies or water, you’ll be in a much better position to have a smooth trip throughout the day. Consider buying some plasticware and bottles to keep super-healthy snacks in. Go to the health food store before you set out, pack up a bunch of healthy stuff, and eat that on your trips. You can also get a mini refrigerator for your truck to store it all.

Pay Attention to the Signs of Drowsy Driving

Drowsy driving might mean yawning, blurry vision, and nodding off. If you notice these or other more subtle signs, it’s time to pull over and take a short nap or just call it a night. You might even consider something called a Maven Machine that has a bluetooth headset that senses driver fatigue and notifies the driver when they need to pull off the road and get some sleep.

Make Use of Anti-Fatigue Technologies

In addition, there are several other new anti-fatigue tools that can help truck drivers avoid truck driver fatigue. There are fatigue meters, digital wearables, digital headwear, smartphone apps, and even facial mapping tools. Look into these if you want a more technological approach to battling driver fatigue.

The Junction LLC

As a leader in the transportation industry, we demand excellence from our entire team. Our team at The Junction LLC strives to deliver the best possible customer service and by a desire to solve our customer’s toughest transportation and supply chain needs.

Our team is dedicated to serving our customers and will take the necessary action to deliver our customers’ products safely, efficiently, and on-time. This is our promise to you!

Nationwide Services include:

Trucking & Freight Shipping Services:

  • Overweight,
  • Over-dimension
  • Time sensitive shipments
  • LTL (Less-Than-Truckload)
  • FTL (Full Truckload)
  • Flatbed
  • Flatbed LTLRGN (removable goose neck lowboy)
  • RGN (removable goose neck lowboy)
  • Maxi’s / A-Train / B-Train
  • Heavy Haul
  • Over Dimensional
  • Dry Van
  • Dry Van LTL
  • Refrigerated
  • Refrigerated LTL
  • Power Only

Additional Services:

  • Our sister companies can also provide warehousing in our food grade facilities, cross-docking, and contract warehousing.

Get a Free Freight Quote

Nebraska Warehouse One-Stop-Shop | TechnologyEnabled 3PL Value-Added Services Warehouse | Freight Broker | Logistics

Nebraska Warehouse doesn’t just help to facilitate your shipments, but we are truly a one-stop-shop solutions provider. Our services include:

Latest News

The latest information about our Omaha storage warehouse services

The Role of Freight Brokers in Ensuring Supply Chain Efficiency

The Role of Freight Brokers in Ensuring Supply Chain Efficiency Freight brokers play a crucial...


More Details

February 5, 2025

How the Fires in LA Could Impact Shipping and Logistics

How the Fires in LA Could Impact Shipping and Logistics Devastating fires have spread through...


More Details

January 16, 2025

Freight Demand: Strategies for Meeting Seasonal Peaks

Freight demand increases over the holidays. Companies and their logistical partners traditionally...


More Details

December 6, 2024

Top 5 Industries That Benefit from Professional Freight Services

Professional freight services have become essential to streamline logistics and maintain a...


More Details

November 8, 2024

What Does Container Drayage Mean in Truckload Shipping?

If you’re involved in the world of logistics or truckload shipping, you’ve probably heard the...


More Details

October 17, 2024

How LTL and Full Truckload Services Keep Your Business Moving

In the world of logistics, your transport solution keeps your business agile, efficient, and...


More Details

October 3, 2024

How To Choose the Right Truckload Broker For Your Business

The quest for the proper truckload broker is like finding a co-pilot on your journey. A lot rides...


More Details

September 12, 2024

What are Integrated Logistics & How Can It Help Your Business?

In today's dynamic business environment, the smooth, effective, and efficient movement of goods...


More Details

August 22, 2024

What is a Freight Pickup?

Freight pickup is the initiation point in the transportation and logistics cycle. The carrier picks...


More Details

August 5, 2024

The Impact of Seasonal Demand on Freight Shipping and How to Prepare

Freight transportation is an integral part of international trade, moving goods efficiently from...


More Details

July 15, 2024