Top 10 Tips to Battling Winter Driving Fatigue

It's also very important for drivers to be self aware, particularly in winter. Don't let the psychological pressure of the HOS push you into making bad decisions. Just because the run can be made in good weather 'on time' - doesn't mean it is possible in bad weather or on bad roads. The schedule is a guide line, if you end up running late - stay late. Time can't be made up on bad roads.
Another thing that happens, is when you are stressed up in bad weather, the adrenaline is flowing and it becomes hard to realize when you are tired and making a poor decision. Fatigue shows up perhaps as a 'jerky' movement of the steering wheel, a brake application that is too hard or missing a detail that leads to a near miss.Take regular rest breaks, if possible. If traffic is building up behind you and that stresses you- find a pulloff area or stop in a town or rest area, When travelling in areas you aren't familiar with, see if you can tag on to a 'local' who may know more of the terrain you are in. Don't be scared to talk to these 'locals' and they may be able to bring you through the worst of a stormy night.
If you can't see well enough to be somewhat relaxed when you drive, then either slow down or find a place to park. When you are operating under stress beyond your comfort zone - poor decisions can be a killer. Many times one doesn't realize how wound up you are, until you take that rest break. Stiff neck and shoulders, pains in the legs from nervous tension - pay attention to your body too.
After a number of years running Northwest U.S and the Canadian Rockies - one learns that their is NO load so important that you have to push yourself to someone else's schedule.
True that personal confidence is an asset. While always trying to provide stellar service, I learned not to back down to a shipper's demand if my life was at risk. I never lost a job or a customer over it either

January 09, 2016 22:51:47 PM

It's also very important for drivers to be self aware, particularly in winter. Don't let the psychological pressure of the HOS push you into making bad decisions. Just because the run can be made in good weather 'on time' - doesn't mean it is possible in bad weather or on bad roads. The schedule is a guide line, if you end up running late - stay late. Time can't be made up on bad roads.
Another thing that happens, is when you are stressed up in bad weather, the adrenaline is flowing and it becomes hard to realize when you are tired and making a poor decision. Fatigue shows up perhaps as a 'jerky' movement of the steering wheel, a brake application that is too hard or missing a detail that leads to a near miss.Take regular rest breaks, if possible. If traffic is building up behind you and that stresses you- find a pulloff area or stop in a town or rest area, When travelling in areas you aren't familiar with, see if you can tag on to a 'local' who may know more of the terrain you are in. Don't be scared to talk to these 'locals' and they may be able to bring you through the worst of a stormy night.
If you can't see well enough to be somewhat relaxed when you drive, then either slow down or find a place to park. When you are operating under stress beyond your comfort zone - poor decisions can be a killer. Many times one doesn't realize how wound up you are, until you take that rest break. Stiff neck and shoulders, pains in the legs from nervous tension - pay attention to your body too.
After a number of years running Northwest U.S and the Canadian Rockies - one learns that their is NO load so important that you have to push yourself to someone else's schedule.
True that personal confidence is an asset. While always trying to provide stellar service, I learned not to back down to a shipper's demand if my life was at risk. I never lost a job or a customer over it either

January 09, 2016 22:51:29 PM

It's also very important for drivers to be self aware, particularly in winter. Don't let the psychological pressure of the HOS push you into making bad decisions. Just because the run can be made in good weather 'on time' - doesn't mean it is possible in bad weather or on bad roads. The schedule is a guide line, if you end up running late - stay late. Time can't be made up on bad roads.
Another thing that happens, is when you are stressed up in bad weather, the adrenaline is flowing and it becomes hard to realize when you are tired and making a poor decision. Fatigue shows up perhaps as a 'jerky' movement of the steering wheel, a brake application that is too hard or missing a detail that leads to a near miss.Take regular rest breaks, if possible. If traffic is building up behind you and that stresses you- find a pulloff area or stop in a town or rest area, When travelling in areas you aren't familiar with, see if you can tag on to a 'local' who may know more of the terrain you are in. Don't be scared to talk to these 'locals' and they may be able to bring you through the worst of a stormy night.
If you can't see well enough to be somewhat relaxed when you drive, then either slow down or find a place to park. When you are operating under stress beyond your comfort zone - poor decisions can be a killer. Many times one doesn't realize how wound up you are, until you take that rest break. Stiff neck and shoulders, pains in the legs from nervous tension - pay attention to your body too.
After a number of years running Northwest U.S and the Canadian Rockies - one learns that their is NO load so important that you have to push yourself to someone else's schedule.
True that personal confidence is an asset. While always trying to provide stellar service, I learned not to back down to a shipper's demand if my life was at risk. I never lost a job or a customer over it either

January 09, 2016 22:51:16 PM

It's also very important for drivers to be self aware, particularly in winter. Don't let the psychological pressure of the HOS push you into making bad decisions. Just because the run can be made in good weather 'on time' - doesn't mean it is possible in bad weather or on bad roads. The schedule is a guide line, if you end up running late - stay late. Time can't be made up on bad roads.
Another thing that happens, is when you are stressed up in bad weather, the adrenaline is flowing and it becomes hard to realize when you are tired and making a poor decision. Fatigue shows up perhaps as a 'jerky' movement of the steering wheel, a brake application that is too hard or missing a detail that leads to a near miss.Take regular rest breaks, if possible. If traffic is building up behind you and that stresses you- find a pulloff area or stop in a town or rest area, When travelling in areas you aren't familiar with, see if you can tag on to a 'local' who may know more of the terrain you are in. Don't be scared to talk to these 'locals' and they may be able to bring you through the worst of a stormy night.
If you can't see well enough to be somewhat relaxed when you drive, then either slow down or find a place to park. When you are operating under stress beyond your comfort zone - poor decisions can be a killer. Many times one doesn't realize how wound up you are, until you take that rest break. Stiff neck and shoulders, pains in the legs from nervous tension - pay attention to your body too.
After a number of years running Northwest U.S and the Canadian Rockies - one learns that their is NO load so important that you have to push yourself to someone else's schedule.
True that personal confidence is an asset. While always trying to provide stellar service, I learned not to back down to a shipper's demand if my life was at risk. I never lost a job or a customer over it either

January 09, 2016 22:51:06 PM

It's also very important for drivers to be self aware, particularly in winter. Don't let the psychological pressure of the HOS push you into making bad decisions. Just because the run can be made in good weather 'on time' - doesn't mean it is possible in bad weather or on bad roads. The schedule is a guide line, if you end up running late - stay late. Time can't be made up on bad roads.
Another thing that happens, is when you are stressed up in bad weather, the adrenaline is flowing and it becomes hard to realize when you are tired and making a poor decision. Fatigue shows up perhaps as a 'jerky' movement of the steering wheel, a brake application that is too hard or missing a detail that leads to a near miss.Take regular rest breaks, if possible. If traffic is building up behind you and that stresses you- find a pulloff area or stop in a town or rest area, When travelling in areas you aren't familiar with, see if you can tag on to a 'local' who may know more of the terrain you are in. Don't be scared to talk to these 'locals' and they may be able to bring you through the worst of a stormy night.
If you can't see well enough to be somewhat relaxed when you drive, then either slow down or find a place to park. When you are operating under stress beyond your comfort zone - poor decisions can be a killer. Many times one doesn't realize how wound up you are, until you take that rest break. Stiff neck and shoulders, pains in the legs from nervous tension - pay attention to your body too.
After a number of years running Northwest U.S and the Canadian Rockies - one learns that their is NO load so important that you have to push yourself to someone else's schedule.
True that personal confidence is an asset. While always trying to provide stellar service, I learned not to back down to a shipper's demand if my life was at risk. I never lost a job or a customer over it either

January 09, 2016 22:50:55 PM