Month: October 2018

Updated Jan. 2025

Commercial trucks play a huge role in keeping our economy moving. Every day, they travel highways, interstates, and local roads, delivering goods to stores, restaurants, and other businesses. It’s hard to imagine how life would be without truck drivers. But, with the job comes the key responsibility of practicing truck driver safety and sharing the road with other drivers. Whether you’re a new or experienced truck driver, following these few simple tips can help you stay safe and make the roads safer for everyone.

1. Stick to the Right Lanes

On most highways, the left lanes are meant for cars that are driving faster. Since trucks are larger and take longer to get up to speed, it’s important to stay in the lanes that are designated for trucks. This helps traffic move smoothly and allows faster cars to pass without disrupting the flow of traffic. Always pay attention to road signs that direct you on which lanes trucks should use.

2. Keep Extra Space Between You and Other Vehicles

Trucks need more space to stop than smaller vehicles. That’s why it’s so important to leave extra room between your truck and the vehicle in front of you, especially when you’re driving at high speeds. If you keep a safe distance, you’ll have more time to react if you need to stop quickly. This small safe driving habit can prevent rear-end collisions and keep everyone on the road safer.

3. Always Check Your Blind Spots Before Changing Lanes

Before changing lanes, make sure you check your blind spots at least twice. Trucks have large blind spots, and it’s easy to miss smaller vehicles that might be next to you. By double-checking, you can avoid sideswiping other cars. A little extra caution goes a long way when keeping truck driver safety in mind.

4. Be Courteous in Traffic

Whether it’s due to construction, accidents, or detours, there are times when traffic will slow down or force you to change lanes. While it might be tempting to try to speed ahead, remember that everyone else is dealing with the same issues. Be patient, take your turn, and avoid cutting in front of other drivers. Being courteous helps keep the peace on the road and reduces the chance of accidents.

5. Use Entrance and Exit Ramps Safely

When you’re getting on or off the highway, always adjust your speed. On entrance ramps, try to speed up so you can merge safely with the traffic. On exit ramps, slow down early to avoid rear-end collisions or alarming other drivers. Sometimes, ramps get backed up, so take your time and make sure you can safely get on or off the highway. This truck driver safety tip is crucial for creating safer highways.

Practicing Responsible Driving

Following these tips will help you become a more careful and courteous truck driver. The key is to treat other drivers the way you’d want to be treated on the road. While some drivers might not always be as careful, staying calm and mindful will help you stay safe and avoid trouble.

While brushing up on truck driver safety practices is a crucial process, the first step is to earn your Class A CDL by completing training at a reputable CDL school!

If you’re ready to start a career as a truck driver, DriveCo CDL Learning Center offers a Class A CDL training program that can get you on the road in just 4 weeks. Our goal is to train safe and confident drivers. Contact us today to learn more and take the first step toward your new career!

Truck driving can be an exhausting, and sometimes monotonous, task. This is especially true for long-haul truckers driving through hundreds of miles of country or highway roads that may never seem to end. In order to ensure everyone’s safety, it is vital for drivers to maintain full awareness throughout their route.

Drivers are often required to work 10-12 hour shifts in order to make their deliveries on time. Many trucking companies have a mandatory rule that their drivers get at least 10 hours of sleep between shifts. Aside from getting proper rest, there are a couple of tricks drivers can use to stay alert and safe on the road.

1. Keep A Consistent Sleep Schedule

As a truck driver, it’s not only important to get the right amount of sleep but you also must maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Newer drivers may attempt to drive longer distances and only pull over to rest for shorter periods of time instead of getting a full night’s rest. This can be a very dangerous decision to make as you will never get to fully rest and, as a result, are putting other drivers on the road at risk.

The best way to stay alert as a truck driver is to adopt a consistent sleep schedule and stick with it. Naps are great if you need a short break but they do not replace quality, uninterrupted sleep at night.

2. Eat Lightly & More Frequently

We all know how tiring eating a large meal can make you. It may seem difficult to spread your meals out as you don’t want to make too many stops along the way. It may sound hard to maintain this diet but it can make all the difference in the world.

With proper planning, you can make the change from 2-3 larger meals to 4-5 smaller meals throughout the day. Adopting a more frequent eating schedule will not only help you stay alert, but it will also help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism!

3. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is important for many reasons but it also plays a role in keeping us alert and awake. However, you can only stay hydrated if you’re drinking water. Avoid other drinks such as sodas or juices as the extra sugars can dehydrate you or even worse, cause a sugar crash after consumption. Drinking more water will also help keep extra pounds off since you’ll be drinking less of your daily calories.

4. Exercise Regularly

You may not think you have time for exercise since time is of the essence in the trucking industry. This is simply not true! Even if it’s just a quick jog around the truck stop, getting in at least 10-15 minutes a day of regular exercise will help keep you alert on the road.

Getting 30-45 minutes of exercise a day is ideal, however, what matters most is that you’re moving and getting your heart-rate up. Exercise will give you a rush as the brain releases endorphins and chemicals that produce more energy.

5. Use Caffeine Sparingly

Sure, a 5-hour energy or Monster energy drink will boost your level of “alertness” quite quickly. However, the crash that comes a few hours later can be problematic, especially if you’re still on the road when it hits.

Limit your reliance on caffeine as it can also impair your consistent sleep schedule. If you need a small pick-me-up, stick to normal coffee. Choosing coffee will give you the caffeine you need without as much of a crash later on.

6. Turn the Volume Up

Listening to audiobooks, podcasts, or music is a great way to pass the time while you drive. Listening to something while you drive can help you avoid boredom and in turn, help you stay awake longer! Entertainment options like these can serve as a great distraction when you need it most. Turn the volume up and enjoy the ride!

7. Take a Break When You Need It

When all else fails, just take a break. Trust your gut if you are ever in doubt about your ability to stay awake. We encourage you to pull over and get some rest when you know you need it. You must remember that you are responsible for the safety of yourself and other drivers on the road. Sometimes the safest option is to stop and rest until you feel confident that you can drive safely. It’s not worth anyone’s life, including your own, just to get somewhere “on time”.

When it comes to staying awake longer as a truck driver, it’s all about listening to your body and taking care of yourself. Over time you will find what works best for you and be able to get into a healthy routine. Researching ways to stay alert on the road is certainly a great place to start and shows you’re a responsible driver.

Looking to hit refresh on your career in trucking? DriveCo CDL Learning Center offers a CDL Refresher Course that may be exactly what you need! Our CDL Refresher Course can be completely customized to fit your needs. Contact us today to learn more!