Many truckers prefer to drive during the night time, but there are couple things you need to know about night driving. The first thing is that you are at the lowest ebb during the night. This means that working overnight requires you to work against the natural rhythm of your body.
As a result, you run the risk of being less alert while driving at night. This poses a very dangerous situation since visibility is also an issue during this time. This is why truckers must adhere to safety tips when they head out on the road.
Do not Drive Fatigued
You should not drive fatigued regardless of whether it is night time or day time. However, since the night time is more dangerous, you should not risk driving an 18-wheeler. It can potentially cause you to fall asleep on the wheel, which can be largely detrimental to your health. Driving fatigued also affects with your alertness and response time.
Therefore, you need to be well rested when you are driving during the night time so that you have can safely execute a flawless night trip inside your semi. If you are in good shape, driving at night can become easier as good health contributes to an increase in focus.
Make sure your Lights Work
In the depths of nighttime darkness, your truck lights are one of the most important components of the semi. They are your eyes on the road, and any malfunction to your lights means that you are driving blinded. This is why you need to change fuses and make important inspections and replacements before you sign up for night drives.
You should also prepare for late night disruptions on the light. This means that you should learn how to change and inspect fuses and wires. Make sure that you are doing your pre-trip inspections, major trip inspections, and post-trip inspections so that you can minimize the risk to full extent.
Plan your trip
From where you are stopping, to where you are talking a break, to where your other truck stops will be should all be predetermined. This means that you should plan your trip beforehand so that you are not making unnecessary stops in the middle of the dark road.
Not to mention, violent crime is usually on the rise during the night time. Making additional stops may not work in your favor. To ease the planning process during your trips, you can keep a notebook along with you. This notebook should have your overnight schedule, directions and route, and more. This way, you will not deviate from the task at hand.
Final Thoughts
To sum up the above mentioned tips, you need to well rested and alert during the night. Along with that, your truck needs to be optimum shape so that you have good visibility and you are not stranded. Lastly, you have to prepare and plan for the route.