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Charlotte Haye 23rd April 2018

5 Tricks To Avoid HGV Driver Fatigue On The Road

Drowsy driving is suspected to be a primary cause in more than 20% of road fatalities. Most fatigue-related accidents occur during normal sleeping hours, and the more severe the crash, the more likely it is that the driver or drivers were fatigued. Fatigue is a likely factor in almost one-third of single-vehicle crashes in rural areas. Many people think fatigue is only a problem for long-distance drivers, however, it is just as relevant for short-distance drives. People generally don’t become fatigued from driving. Usually, they are already tired when they get behind the wheel from long hours, shift work, lack of sleep, sleep apnoea or physically demanding roles. Your body can’t fight the need to sleep. Chemicals build up in your brain until they reach a tipping point and you will fall asleep. If you’re in charge of an HGV, that’s pretty bad news.

Get Enough Sleep

Let’s start with the obvious one – sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, then you will always feel tired during the day. So make sure you get yourself a decent amount of rest every night. But everyone needs a different amount of sleep every night to feel refreshed and be alert. Some people only need 5 hours sleep, some need 7 or even 9. So it’s all about finding out how much sleep you need to function at your best, and then make sure you get that every night. A full night’s sleep will fully recharge your brain and allow you the best chance to be alert and fresh when you’re in the road.

Eat Healthy

Healthy eating has a lot to do with healthy sleep cycles. But the diet of a driver on the road isn’t always the healthiest there is. If you stay hydrated and eat healthily, you will notice the quality of your sleep improves. You will also notice that if you eat healthier options during the day, you won’t be left feeling as tired and bloated afterwards. Instead, you will feel energised, alert and ready to take on the day. So make sure you’re eating a diet full of vegetables and high-fibre foods and drink lots of water, and the fatigue will fade away.

Stay In A Pattern

A common cause of fatigue in professional drivers is driving when they would usually be sleeping. Humans have very deeply ingrained sleeping patterns, and it is difficult to readjust them. If you struggle with night shifts, then it might be best for you to switch to only day driving. Similarly, if you’re used to driving at night and are finding that driving early in the morning or evening is causing you problems, then you may be better switching to only night driving. The point we’re trying to get to is this – you need to be sure you can stay in a pattern that works for your circadian rhythms so that you can function properly and without tiredness when you drive.

Get A Check Up

If you’re struggling with fatigue at the wheel constantly, despite your best efforts, then it might be time to go and see a doctor. There are a number of medical conditions that can cause fatigue, and it’s important to get them under control if they are manifesting while you’re behind the wheel. Sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea can interfere with your sleep and cause fatigue during the day, along with certain medications and even chronic fatigue syndrome. It’s important to remember that you can’t fight sleep, so if you feel like you are struggling, seek professional help.

At Easy as HGV, we recognise the importance of staying alert and awake behind the wheel. More accidents and fatalities are caused by tiredness than by drunk driving across the year, and we take our responsibility to educate new drivers about this very seriously. As well as learning how to physically drive the vehicle, our trainee drivers will also learn about how to be the safest, best drivers they can be in every regard. If you’re interested in finding out more, just get in touch.

Charlotte Haye

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