TRUCK SAFETY AWARENESS PROGRAM

Sleeping While Driving your Truck

Falling asleep while driving is dangerous and feeling drowsy behind the wheel happens to truckers. Few seconds of nodding on your steering can be fatal. There are many causes of falling asleep while driving such as: 1) Sleep diorders 2) Narcolepsy 3) Obstructing Sleep Apnea 4) Restless leg syndrome 5) Disruption of Biological Clock 6) Medications and Alcohol 7) Poor Sleeping Habit or Sleep Loss 8) Sleep loss Sleep loss is one the most common cause of falling asleep while driving your truck. Disturbed sleep fails to give adequate restwhich caused truckers to feel tired during the day. Sleep Disorders Sleep disorder can cause truckers to feel tired during the day. Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a chronic condition that affects your ability to properly regulate your sleep schedule. Narcolepsy is caused by environmental triggers that induce your brain to rapidly release the chemicals which lead you to fall asleep. This can cause sudden loss of muscle control, strong emotions or severe daytime fatigue. Obstructive sleep apnea This condition causes the patient to stop breathing while you are asleep. This can be caused by the airway becoming blocked or conditions that cause the airways to become floppy or narrowed because the body relaxes to the point where the muscles that regulate your breathing do not function properly. Restless leg syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder Restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder commonly coexist in patients. In combination, these conditions can cause insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness and daytime fatigue. I Disruption of Biological Clock Troubled biological clock will sends the signals to the brain and tells it to get sleep in the mid-afternoon and at night. If you are trucking at this time, you can potentially fall asleep while driving. Medications and Alcohol Alcohol is a depressant which will increase feelings of sleepiness or fatigue that are present. Some medications also list fatigue as a side effect. Poor Sleeping Habit or Sleep Loss Activities such as working late, worrying about personal issues or choosing to stay up late to socialize can interrupt this natural sleep schedule. You may fall asleep behind the wheel. Tips to Avoid Falling Asleep While Driving 1) Get Enough Sleep 2) Get restful sleep. 3) Avoid caffein 4) get comfortable bed or room at good temperature 5) Avoid excessive light or noise 6) get at least 6 hours sleep.

Tips for Driving on the Road 1) Try to avoid driving when you are feeling drowsy. 2) If you will be driving for a long period of time, avoid using the cruise control setting. 3) Staying actively involved with your driving can help you stay alert. 4) If you find yourself becoming drowsy or distracted, keep the car cool to help promote alertness. 5) Listen to music 6) Get involved with an active conversation. 7) Avoid driving for long periods at night or driving for long distances alone. 8) Stop at a rest area every 1-2 hours to exercise and increase your energy level. 9) If necessary, stop in a rest area to take a 15-20 minute nap to avoid falling asleep behind the wheel. 10) Once you begin driving again, make a point of sitting up straight. Slouching down in the seat can promote sleepiness, particularly if you are driving at night

Truck Safety Training

Mnufacturers find trucking companies very useful in meeting their transportation needs. Small to medium business often do not have enough capitalization to buy their own delivery trucks and hiring dry van trucking services offer them a more viable solution. Most of the time, they hire trucking services especially when the coverage requires nationwide deliveries. The safety of the trucking services becomes a great concern among cargo owners. For the same concern, insurance companies usually impose high standards of safety management process among trucking companies. As a result, trucking firms are required to implement their own truck safety management standards in order to make their business operation safety standard compliant.

The basic concerns for truck safety among trucking companies Night drive concerns Night driving allows limited vision on the road. This also includes the hazardous glare of bright lights at night that can lead to temporary visual impairment. Some trucking companies that cater long distance transportation services usually build their own stopover headquarters on certain locations where their employees can rest at night and resume driving the next morning. Driving in a bad weather condition A bad weather is a big hazard to safe driving. Trucking companies usually advise their drivers to find a safe place for shelter until the road is safer for driving. Trucking companies now use innovative logistics that make communication between the truck operator and the drivers in the field easier. From the main headquarter, the truck driver receives real time weather updates within the area of their destination, allowing them to prepare for contingencies better. Truck Safety Training We invite all public fleets to improve their safety driving standard. Safe freight transportation training offered includes: 1) Safe truck driving 2) proper handling of cargoes or goods. 3) regular maintenance of trucks. At HSEReinvented-truck safety always comes first.