Light up the Night

Trucking knows no set schedule, operating at the break of dawn, and through the night is the norm for one of the hardest working industries there is!  Having worked many years with a schedule through the night hours, the emphasis on safety and proper preventative measures can not be made any less important in the absence of the sun’s light.  As a substitute to the light of day, those that work at night must learn to produce their own light in order to operate properly!

Being but mere humans and not possessing bioluminescent-like abilities like some animals, the dark of night can hide many things from us.  If not for a means of producing artificial light, safety issues more visible during the day might go unnoticed when working the night shift.  My trick to staying safe, from pre-trip to post-trip on every shift, is the investment in a good light source.  From my very first 18” Maglite to what I choose today, my choice for a safe and effective light has evolved over the years.

Pushing forward from traditional flashlights to a need to incorporate the use of both of my hands when tackling a problem, headlamps seemed to be the natural choice for lighting my way through the darkness.  Having used AAA battery-powered ones while hiking and camping in the past, I was happy to find a higher-powered, rechargeable option for my trucking adventures.  With a seriously bright lumen rating and current charge interval of around twice a month with regular usage, hands-free is now the way for me! 

Whether it’s to help spot a nail in a tire or even to get a glance under my fifth wheel to make sure the jaws are secure, seeing things in the dark is now much easier with the aid of a hands-free headlamp.  Pre-trip inspections should not be any less thorough just because it’s dark out when you start your shift!  Whatever your choice, make sure you have a good source of light to remain safe and effective even in the darkest of conditions!