Is Truck Driving Stressful?

Is truck driving stressful? Truck driving is stressful, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Truck driving allows you to drive across the country and experience new things while hauling essential products. There are many unpredictable factors that are involved in driving trucks that add to stressors. Some of the stressful factors of truck driving factors are:

• Distracted drivers
• Bad weather
• Exhaustion
• Traffic

Being stressed while driving can affect your attention and concentration and make you more likely to have an accident. To learn more details about how is truck driving stressful, continue reading.

How Is Truck Driving Stressful

Distracted Drivers

When driving a motor vehicle, especially a large truck, paying full attention to the road is of the utmost importance. In 2018, 4,136 people died in accidents involving trucks. The higher percentage of these deaths are the drivers of the motor vehicles. Being distracted while driving is dangerous for everyone on the road. Being on your phone, or trying to change music are just a few of the things that can be distracting. When you’re distracted while driving you may drift out of your lane. When you drift you may overcorrect back into the correct lane or cause the person in the other lane to have to brake quickly. Large trucks cannot stop their momentum as fast as a small car can. If there is bad weather, a truck may stop but continue to slide into the car in front of it causing an accident. 

For all parties to avoid distracted driving you should:

• Know your route before you begin driving
• Don’t try to mess with the radio while driving 
• Don’t pick up your phone while driving. 

GPS is a viable option to get you to where you need to be but it can sometimes malfunction or be a distraction. Know your route before you get on the road and don’t rely too heavily on GPS.

Unless you’re using your radio for communication, try to avoid playing around with the dials unnecessarily. This can create another distraction and may cause you to drift.

Picking up your phone while driving may seem tempting but it’s best to leave it alone. Many states have made it illegal to text and drive and even be on the phone and drive. If you need to check your phone, do so at a rest stop while you’re parked.

Bad Weather

Bad weather is out of your control but you can prepare for it. To prepare for bad weather you should:

• Know the weather forecast
• Always do your pre-inspection
• Stay in your truck if the weather gets too bad

Knowing the weather forecast is the best way to prevent running into unexpected bad weather. There are several apps that you can use to be aware of the weather in your area. Being aware of the weather is an easy way to prevent a potential accident. Learn how to weatherproof your semi truck, if you know that you’re going to encounter bad weather. 

Pre-inspections are required by law but they also help you ensure a safe journey. If there is an issue with your truck, make sure it’s tended to before you get on the road. If there is anything wrong during the pre-inspection make sure it’s brought to the attention of the appropriate personnel and fixed. Knowing that there is a problem with your truck and continuing on with your route is dangerous to you and others. 

If the weather is terrible, pull over and stay in your truck. Trying to drive in bad weather is a danger to you and others. Snow and rain prevents you from braking like you would normally be able to and wind may blow your rig in dangerous directions. Staying in your truck keeps everyone safe and you can get back on the road when the weather passes. 

Exhaustion

How to stay awake while driving is one of the most frequently asked questions when discussing how is truck driving stressful. Long routes, driving in the middle of the night, trying to meet a deadline are just a few of the things that can cause stress and exhaustion. There are are many ways to prevent exhaustion while driving such as:

• Listen to a podcast
• Drink coffee or an energy drink
• Take a break

Listening to a podcast, audiobook or music is a great way to keep you awake and alert to fight exhaustion. These things are metnally stimulating and can occupy your mind to get you to your next stop. 

Coffee and energy drinks are standard ways to fight exhaustion but beware of the crash that can come after drinking these things. You may end up more tired than when you started. 

Take a break if you really need to. If you are very tired and find yourself drifting out of your lane it’s time to pull into a rest stop and take the break you need. Learn more about how to stay awake while driving here.

Traffic

Traffic is unavoidable, incredibly irritating, but bound to happen while on the road. When driving make sure you look as far ahead as possible and if you see a traffic jam begin to stop long before you approach the traffic. Doing this alerts cars and other trucks behind you that there is a slow down ahead and prevent people from running into you.

When stuck in traffic leave an adequate amount of space between you and the car in front of you. This is a safety precaution that you should always adhere to as it prevents you from running into the car in front of you. 

Traffic jams are also a great time to communicate with other truck drivers to find out what is happening and anticipate how long it will delay your route. 

Stay Stress Free With Truck Driver Institute

Now that you can stop wondering “Is truck driving stressful?”, you can earn your Class A commercial driver’s license with Truck Driver Institute! Truck Driver Institute will give you the skills you need to get your Class A CDL in just 3 weeks. After you earn your license a TDI staff member will help you find a carrier company that’s best suited to your needs. 

You can start taking classes today at one of our many locations, or you can contact us today! Get on the road to success today and become a stress free truck driver.