Top Tips for Nighttime Driving
Driving overnight, especially for extended periods of time, comes with its own unique challenges that simply aren’t experienced during the day time. That’s why it’s important to know how to keep yourself alert, what to watch out for, and how to protect yourself and others when you’re hauling overnight.
Make Sure You’re Well Rested
Getting good quality sleep means that you’re rested and ready for work, which is immeasurably better than starting a long, overnight shift already feeling tired. Regulating when and how much sleep you get is even more important if you’re transitioning from primarily daytime driving to overnight shifts.
Get Night Vision Glasses
Purchase a pair of these specially designed glasses to help enhance your vision at night while also cutting down on the glare of headlights or other annoying reflections.
Beware of Drunk Drivers
Driving at night means you run the risk of crossing paths with a drunk driver, which occurs most frequently between midnight and 4:00am. If you notice potential impaired driving or someone swerving unpredictably, your best bet is to steer clear and report them if necessary or possible.
Watch Out for Animals
All sorts of animals come out at night, and many inadvertently find themselves crossing the highway. Always scan the side of the road to keep an eye on anything that might jump across the road. If an animal is unavoidable, it’s better to hit the animal and damage your truck than to swerve and risk causing an even larger accident.
Here at NTB Trucking we care about our drivers as well as all the other folks out on the road. Remember that no load or deadline is ever worth pushing your limits and crashing, so make sure you take care of yourself, get enough rest, and understand the unique challenges of driving at night.
Learn more about truck driving best practices, who we are, and why you should apply to drive for NTB via our website.