Truck driving always has risks no matter the time of year you do it. This is because driving always has risks in general, so driving a large vehicle, oftentimes with cargo, means the risks are doubled and often brought on more quickly. To avoid these risks as much as possible, we suggest you follow along on your shipping journey with these top safety tips from us to you!
Use Sunscreen
This is probably our biggest tip we have for truckers in the summertime. People often think that being behind closed doors of a car means you are protected from the sun, but that is not the case at all. In fact, sometimes you are in even worse positions because the windows can bring in more heat and UV rays. Furthermore, because of the way you move when driving, the sun hits different parts of you for different lengths of time and often in awkward ways. To simply avoid sunburn all together, and therefore avoid long term health risks from frequent sunburns and sun exposure, load up on sunscreen and reapply often!
Stay Hydrated
This tip is one everyone should do either way, however especially in the summer. You may think because you are driving for long hours of the day that you do not need to stay as hydrated as others, but that is not true. Driving, especially in the heat, exerts a lot of energy and you need to stay hydrated to take proper care of yourself.
Be Aware of Tourists
Summertime in the United States brings about a lot of travel, which means driving anywhere brings on higher likelihood of coming across a tourist. Depending on where you are, you could be driving on a road made up of primarily tourists. This means people around you may not know the rules of the road where you are. To be safe, drive carefully and cautiously, keeping an eye out for tourist road behavior.
Stay Up to Date on Weather
Depending on where you are trucking, you may have more than just heat to worry about. To name some other summer issues: places like California you have fires in the summer and in places in the south you have hurricane season. Keep track of the weather where you are and where you are going to stay alert for any sudden change in weather and climate.