Charlotte Haye 11th July 2018

5 Top Tips For Staying Cool In Your HGV This Summer

We’re in for a record-breaking summer this year, both in heat and length! With severe heat warning and amber heatwave warnings on the horizon, some HGV drivers are getting concerned. After all, when you spend your life on the road, it can be difficult to keep yourself cool and avoid that drowsiness and lack of energy that comes with the summer heat. So in this post, we bring you a few tips for staying cool in your cab this summer.

Use Protection Against The Sun

Just because you’re in a lorry cab doesn’t mean you’re completely protected from the sun. While the rays shining down on you might feel nice at first, there are some serious health risks involved here that go way beyond the typical ‘trucker arm’ tan lines. In this heat, where people are being advised to stay out of it where they can, you’re going to be in it all day, and the left side of your body is going to get hit the hardest. So even when you’re inside your vehicle, make sure you’re wearing strong sunscreen. You can also opt for long sleeved shirts (if you can stand them), and a hat and sunglasses to keep the sun out of your eyes as you focus on the road.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration is a very real risk in the summer sun normally, let along when it’s this hot for this long. Even if you’re sat in an air-conditioned cab, you can still get dehydrated. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of fluids (preferably water) on and off the road. Make sure you have a couple of bottles of water available in your cab instead of the standard one and aim to drink at least eight glasses a day. While everyone’s water needs are different (for some eight is way too many, and some not enough), everyone’s water needs go up as we sweat in the summer sun. If you’re not hydrated, you’re more likely to lose focus and energy or come down with sunstroke.

Watch Out For Extra Drivers

As the schools break up for summer, more and more people will be hitting the roads for holidays, trip away or just family days out. This in itself isn’t too much of an issue, but many of these drivers will be on roads they are unfamiliar with, with distractions in the car to contend with, which can often lead to erratic and dangerous driving decisions. For HGV drivers, this means the roads are much less safe, and you need to be keeping an eye out for those warning signs and keeping your own driving under control. Staying alert, and being aware of what’s happening on the road around you at all times have never been more important.

Keep Your Tyres Properly Inflated

As the temperature rises, so does the temperature of everything around you, including the external metal of your HGV and your tyres. The tarmac you’re driving on also heats up to record temperatures, and this can cause a common summer driving problem – tyre blowouts. Under-inflated tyres can increase the risk of blown out tyres on hot tarmac, so now if the time to check all of your tyres and reinflate them if they’re looking a bit flat. Do this every day before you head out, and you should have less chance of being caught on the side of the road with a broken tyre.

Be Aware Of The Weather

This sounds obvious, but keep an eye on the weather forecast. And not just for the high temperature of the day. Summer can bring with it some pretty severe weather, including storms, sudden rains and floods. It also means the weather can change very quickly, so bright sunshine can turn into heavy winds and rain in a second. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather during the day and be prepared for any sudden changes so that you’re never caught off guard.

At Easy as HGV, we pride ourselves on providing high-quality training for HGV drivers, whether you’re looking to start a new career or simply upgrade your license. That includes helping you recognise the dangers of driving in such hot, sunny conditions, like those we’re having now. If you would like to find out more about staying safe in all weathers, just get in touch with us today.

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