Category: hot trucking

Safely Beat the Trucking Heat this Summer

Posted on July 21, 2017 by - beat the heat, heat stroke, heat wave, hot trucking, keeping cool, rookie truckers, truck driver, Trucker, truckers, trucking in the heat, veteran truckers

We’re sure that you’re aware that summer is here in full force. While summer comes with a lot of swimming, fun, and maybe even a vacation, it also comes with hard work. We know you’re putting in a lot of hours on the road, maybe even in areas with record-breaking high temperatures. When you’re in the heat you face risks such as sunburn, skin cancer, overheating, and even heat strokes can occur. So, be sure to stay safe out there this summer and spend a moment here today to learn how to beat the heat!

Beating the Heat

The sun can be your friend, but also your enemy, so protect your skin from its warming yet harmful UV rays. This is achieved by applying sunscreen a few times a day. The sun shines through your truck windows and can even give you one heck of a truckers tan, so remember to apply your sunscreen during breaks or stops.

It’s also good to wear protective clothing to shield your skin from the sun. Long sleeves and hats go a long way towards preventing sun damage. Just keep a long sleeve shirt around in your cab to throw on while you’re driving, you don’t have to wear it all the time or during stops. Remember to protect your eyes as well with a pair of polarized sunglasses. Otherwise once the light and heat reflecting off of the road your sight could be comprised.

You need to hydrate properly with water. Soda will need to take a backseat so you don’t overheat. Water is much more effective at hydrating your body than soda and can help keep you cool and prevent the blinding headaches that come with heat exhaustion.

Be sure to keeps things cool. Idle your truck while resting to be able to get enough sleep and place battery operated fans in your rig to keep the temperature down. To cool down after being outside of your truck for a while place a cold rag on the back of your neck or place a bag of ice or a cold bottle between your wrists. Trust us, you’ll be instantly relieved from the heat. You can also peel off a few layers and relax for a little while.

The Signs of Heat Stroke

If you’re too hot to the point of being at risk for a heat stroke you’ll be able to quickly notice the signs. Generally, heat stroke symptoms include throbbing headaches, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, seizures, fainting, rapid heartbeat, muscle cramps, weakness, lack of sweating even in the heat, and dry or red skin.

With heat sickness, you can still have headaches, nausea, cramps, and more, but you’ll probably still be sweating. Once you stop sweating then the serious threat of having a heat stroke is on.

Once you start noticing any symptoms of a heat-related illness then it’s time to take a step back. Get out of the heat or at least rest in the shade if you can and start hydrating. Warmer water that’s closer to room temperature can be easier to drink if you’re nauseous.

Take off any tight fitting clothes or unnecessary layers and lay down with a cold compress. Make sure your legs are elevated so more blood flows to your heart. Also, never hesitate to contact help because if you faint or have a seizure, then you won’t be able to.

Safely Have A Great Summer

While summer is hot and we like it, UV rays and high temperatures can do a number on our bodies! So remember while you’re either hauling loads or enjoying a well-deserved vacation to protect yourself from the elements!

For more trucking blogs visit ExpressTruckTax.com and please share your tips on how to stay cool in the comment section below.

Preparing Your Rig For Summer

Posted on May 19, 2017 by - driving in severe weather, heat, heat wave, hot trucking, summer driving, summer maintenance, Summer rig, summer weather, Tornado, trucking in severe weather, trucking tornado

Hot hot hot! Who turned up the heat?! Oh, it was Mother nature, so it looks like we can’t really do anything about it but try and keep cool. While summer usually brings about fun in the pool or at the beach, it’s important to remember that not all time spent in the sun is fun. Summer can wreak havoc on our skin and trucks! Be sure to prepare yourself and your rig for rising summer temperatures.

Summer Tips For Your Rig 

Did you know that the trucker’s tan is a real thing? Usually, the arm on your driver’s side door can end up looking darker than the other and you could end up with a farmer’s tan! Also, protecting yourself from skin cancer caused by the sun’s damaging UV rays is pretty important.

To protect yourself from the sun wear a hat, long sleeves, and sunglasses. If you don’t want to wear long sleeves you can put sunscreens up on your windows or apply sunscreen lotion to your skin every few hours.

Summer is hot, don’t you know it! As temperatures rise you’ll find yourself becoming more dehydrated, so be sure to drink pretty of water during your trips. Soda won’t hydrate you like water and you don’t want to end up with a massive headache going down the interstate because you aren’t hydrated. Also, keep a few gallons of your water around in your rig in case of an emergency.

Heat during the summer adds an extra amount of stress on your engine so check your levels of oil, coolant, and the critical fluids that keep your engine cool and running. Remember, it’s always great to carry those fluids in your rig in case you need to top them off to prevent your rig from overheating and to avoid more expensive issues.

It’s a great time to check your AC for leaks because you don’t want it to go out during a trip. A few days without AC can be unbearably hot. Also, your belts are affected by heat too. Check them often to make sure that they’re still in place and feel them to make sure they’re still strong. If they’re spongy feelings, crackling, or look shiny on the underside then they need to be replaced.

Guess what can’t take the heat? Tires. Summer temperatures make them wear faster, so check their tread, and look for cracks. If one tire is under inflated then extra pressure will be put on the others, causing them to wear faster! Also, with your tires wearing faster then you may need to align them, so keep an eye out for that.

Summer is notorious for some crazy weather. Storms pop up out of nowhere, and that’s not good because when the rain suddenly hits the hot road during the summer then oils rise, making the pavement extra slippery until water washes the oils away. Be aware of the weather, and slow down when it rains.

Also, be on the lookout for severe summer storms. Rain that comes out of nowhere is one thing, but what about when you’re driving through the South and a major storm with hail, strong winds, and even tornados are possible? Know when to stop and wait out a storm or take a different route to avoid them.

Happy Summer

Summer is arguably the most fun season of all, so take a break to have some fun down by the water. However, the heat creates a whole new set of issues, so make sure that you and your rig are prepared to face them.

For more trucking blogs visit ExpressTruckTax.com and please share your tips about summer driving in the comment section below.