Charlotte Haye 15th February 2020

Staying Focused While on the Road – Our Top Tips

If you’re a coach, bus or lorry driver, you are likely to be employed to embark on some extremely long drives. Sometimes, you’ll have to cross a number of countries or continents over a period of days to get to your destination. Racking up those miles can be an exhausting experience, but it’s essential for you to stay focused and safe during every minute. Read on to discover some tips and tricks on how to stay safe on the road.

Take Regular Naps

When you’re a driver on long-haul trips, being able to take naps is an essential skill. One of the most common reasons for accidents on the road is no longer drink driving, but driving tired, so it’s important that you are well rested to stay sharp behind the wheel. If you can, try to always take a nap before you hit the road to make sure you’re focussed, and schedule them in during your rest stops at regular intervals. It’s best if you aim to take a 20-minute nap, followed by a 10 minute walk or run to wake you back up again. This routine will ensure you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed on the road.

Stay Nourished and Refreshed

Hunger and thirst are both big distractions on the road, and they can also contribute to making you feel drowsy even if you’re well rested. Try to eat healthy, nourishing meals while you are on the road, aiming for a 3 a day if you can. You should also keep a variety of non-perishable snacks in your cab and a few bottles of water, so you can stay full while you’re driving. Fruit and healthy snacks are a good bet here, as you won’t get the sugar spikes and crashes you would with energy drinks and sugary snacks. You need a steady source of energy and hydration, which fruit and water can deliver.

Listen to Music and Audiobooks

Let’s face it, staring at the road for hours at a time can be boring. Boredom is a very bad thing when you’re in charge of a several hundred tonne vehicle, so it’s best to keep your attention up as much as possible. Keep your mind sharp by listening to audiobooks, podcasts or putting on some of your favourite music. This helps keep your brain engaged, awake and focussed, so you won’t just zone out and watch the world pass you by. There are thousands of options to choose from, and means you can enrich your time spent behind the wheel while earning money.

Open the Window

Hot environments are generally considered bad for your concentration for one simple reason – they make you drowsy. Especially if you’re already feeling a little tired to begin with. Heat is also incredibly fatiguing and can sap your energy very quickly. So sitting in a warm cab, not being able to move much can make you feel very sleepy, which as we’ve already covered is a bad thing! So if you find yourself feeling a bit tired or groggy, open the window or if the weather is bad, turn on the air conditioning. The cold air will refresh ad invigorate you, and make sure your energy levels stay high.

At Easy as HGV, we not only teach you how to drive an HGV safely and get you through your tests, we work hard to make you a better driver with tips and tricks like these. Our instructors have decades of experience in both driving HGVs professionally and teaching driving, so you know you’re in safe hands. If you would like to find out more, just get in touch with our team today.

Charlotte Haye

Take the first step towards your dream HGV driving career. Contact Us

Call free 0800 970 8447

Get a Quote

Why choose Easy As HGV?

We're Local

Great Value

Speedy & Helpful

Trusted