No DOT regulations restrict the time of day that a flatbed may travel. Hence many flat bedders drive at night, before or after the sun sets. Without a doubt, as the days become shorter in the winter, the likelihood that you will spend most of your driving at night when visibility is poor increases. Driving at night requires competence and might be difficult since it can make the roads more dangerous. But there are benefits to driving at night as well. One benefit is less traffic at night, particularly in metropolitan areas. Flatbed drivers that travel at night often complete their runs faster. The major drawback for flatbed drivers hauling in more rural regions at night is the risk of running over livestock and animals they can only see once it is too late. Driving at night offers both benefits and drawbacks.
Here are some suggestions on how to drive safely at night and make it to your destination.
Prepare for emergencies
Prepare for Winter with Essentials for Vehicle Safety.
This winter, be careful to be prepared with items to let others know where you are if you have to stop or pull over due to dangerous driving conditions. To help you in these circumstances, System Transport offers vehicle safety equipment. So to optimize your safety, include any extra gear you may need or desire in light of your tastes and experiences.
Focus Increasing Visibility
Get an Eye Exam
Make sure you have a new eye test if you can. Ensure your eyes are examined and you have the necessary corrective glasses to drive at night. Suppose you can try to take a test every year. If that is too ambitious, try once every 2 years at the very least.
Window and windscreen maintenance
Wrong light reflection from a dirty windscreen might reduce your nighttime vision. Insects and debris on your windscreen make nighttime driving much more difficult. If the problem is ignored, it will accumulate and become worse. When you can, keep your windows and windscreen clean. If your wiper blades need to be replaced soon to maintain the cleanliness of your windscreen, think about doing so.
Get Night Vision Glasses
Invest in a decent set of night vision glasses (most can easily be found online for a pretty good price). Driving at night is safer with night vision goggles since they improve your eyesight and reduce glaring headlights and bothersome reflections. Since night vision glasses decrease glare from other vehicles’ headlights, most are well-made, reasonably priced, and maybe a game-changer while driving at night; many drivers employ this helpful gear. Do you wear glasses with a prescription? No issue! Night vision clip-on glasses are available. They are simple to attach to your prescription glasses, making night driving much simpler.
Keep Looking Around
Particularly during the winter, deer and other animals are more prevalent along the roadside at night. Check the side of the road for any animals that could cross in front of you.
Safety in Night Driving Requires Sleep
Take Care to Sleep
Try to obtain 7-8 hours of restful sleep while not driving. If you are new to night driving, it will take time for your body to become used to sleeping during the day. Be patient; your body will gradually adapt to the new routine.
Could you not treat it like day driving?
Understand that driving at night differs from driving during the day. You cannot drive nonstop from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. with just a 30-minute break, which is doable during the day. Nevertheless, this will not occur when driving at night, so do not plan on it. You will eventually need to stop and take a longer-than-30-minute break. We suggest breaking up the journey with at least one hour of relaxation. If your shift is from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m., you should take an hour off at about 1 a.m. To wake you up, make sure you have a dependable alarm clock.
You Are Responsible for Getting Quality Sleep
The amount of sleep you get ultimately depends entirely on YOU, even though System Transport cares strongly about every one of our drivers and their safety. Do not expect dispatch to take care of your sleep issues; they have work to do, and you have work to do. No load is also worth being stuck in a ditch for. Take care of yourself and adhere to the correct HOS restrictions. Take care of yourself and ensure you get the rest you need for safe driving.
Feeling sleepy? Pull back
Everyone should get a good night’s sleep, but truck drivers must get the correct amount of sleep to be safe. Trying to battle sleepiness might be hazardous for you and the other drivers with whom you share the road. Pull over and stop driving when you begin to feel sleepy.
Parking at the Right Place
Finding a peaceful place to sleep during the day might be difficult. Many truckers find it challenging to understand why your drapes are drawn, so they make a lot of noise. Choose a location near other trucks that seem to be nighttime drivers attempting to get some rest. You will be able to sleep better with less noise in your environment.
Knowing When to Give Up
Lack of sleep when operating a flatbed trailer is reckless and hazardous. Never do it! Here are some indications that it is time to put the car in park and take a break. If you see that you exhibit any of the following traits, you must immediately stop driving and locate a place to sleep.
- It is necessary to stop driving as soon as you can and take a break when you see your eyes drifting from the road.
- You should stop driving and go to bed if you begin having hallucinations.
- Darkness: If everything becomes abruptly pitch black as your eyelids shut uncontrollably, you are well beyond unsafe. Quit as soon as you can and go to bed.
Stay Focused and Avoid Distractions at Night
Prevent Distracted Driving
How often have you heard of putting your phone away while driving? While repeating that guideline could get tiresome, it is there for a purpose. Although this rule is valid at all times of the day, using a phone while driving at Night is particularly risky since you already have limited road visibility. Avoid using your phone or other gadgets while driving, and make calls to your friends and family when you have a break or have finished going for the day. They will thank you for waiting!
Beware of Drunken Drivers
Recall that the hours between midnight and four in the morning are crucial for watching for intoxicated drivers who might strike you. You must avoid a vehicle swerving in your lane if you spot one.
Slow Down
Slow Down While Driving at Night
Your visibility will be lessened compared to daylight driving while driving at Night. You must depend exclusively on your headlights, as many rural roadways lack lighting. To observe the road in front of you and any possible hazards in advance and safely avoid them, be careful to drop your speed (mainly in rural regions) gradually.
Lights must be adjusted while driving at Night
Adapt the Headlights
Maintain the cleanliness and adjustment of your headlights. It is more important than it is to have correctly adjusted headlights while driving at Night. Your headlights will be your primary illumination source when traveling at Night, particularly on country roads. Your first line of protection against anything on the street is your headlights.
Dim all of your lights
It would be best if you dipped your dash, Qualcomm, and GPS. It will be easier on the eyes to dim them as much as feasible. Your eyes will acclimate to this after a few days, although it may take some time. If you lower the lights within your cabin, it will be simpler for your eyes to adapt when you gaze outside again.
Stay away from the light
It may be distracting to stare at approaching traffic’s headlights, particularly when they flash directly in your direction or into any of your mirrors. Your night vision may suffer, your retina may be harmed, and your response time may slow if you do not look away. You could turn into a deer in headlights! When this happens, try to glance down and to the right until the traffic has passed. Your vehicle will be safe as long you can see the white line on the shoulder while your eyes become used to the passing line. If a car is approaching you with high lights, adjust your mirrors to divert the glare from your eyes.
Stay Awake
Strategies for Staying Awake:
You have several choices for helping yourself remain awake. Although some of these have been supported by science, others have not. Sleeping or taking a nap is the most excellent way to stay alert. Here are some ideas if you are having trouble sleeping and could use some assistance listening carefully:
- Stretching: When you can, take a stroll and pull while walking. You do not need to perform this for an extended period; 5 to 10 minutes will be enough to restart your heartbeat.
- Open A Window: Keep the air moving by keeping a window open. Also, this will make the car cooler inside, which will keep you alert.
- Eat an Orange: According to many truck drivers, consuming citrus fruit keeps them alert. Have you given it a try?
- Coffee: Yeah, coffee is quite effective at keeping you alert. The drawback of coffee is that it might make it difficult to fall asleep later if you consume too much of it at the incorrect time.
- Cold Water: Wiping your face would then help you stay awake. While at it, drink lots of water to prevent frequent trips to the lavatory. If you stop every hour, going to the toilet will alert you and allow you to exit the truck and take a short stroll. Maybe stretch?
Stimulate Your Mind
Listening to music or a podcast might help keep your mind active and aroused when traveling at night. The most popular podcasts for truck drivers right now are listed below. Do any of them catch your ear? Which one do you prefer?
- Big Rig Banter
- Red Eye Radio
- The Joe Rogan Experience
- Serial
- Crime Junkie Podcast
- Pardon My Take
- Jocko Podcast
- Armchair Expert
- Talk CDL Trucking Podcast
- This American Life
- Trucking After Hours
