Listen, we know you’re “cool” behind the wheel, no one is arguing that. However, we do want to share some tips for staying cool on the road to beat the heat for your summer long hauls!
Compared to the cold, slick roads of the winter, we’ll take a hot summer day on the road every time! Though, in order to make the most of it, you’ll need a few ways to keep the temperature down or just cool off.
The Dangers Of Heat
Being comfortable is important, but regulating your internal temperature is also crucial for your health and safety on the road. Heat exhaustion alone can cause sweating, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and more. Those are symptoms you definitely don’t need while driving a 40,000 pound hunk of metal.
If you ever feel these symptoms, pull over and try to cool off! If things get worse, you’re vomiting, or it lasts longer than an hour, it might be a heat stroke. In that case you need to call 911 immediately.
Staying Cool
Here a few ways you can combat the sweltering midday sun:
Drink Water!
It might be tempting to always reach for the coffee or pop, but make sure you’re mixing in a good amount of plain old water too. Flavoured or vitamin water is also a good choice.
Neck Deep
Whether it’s a cooling towel, fan, or just a wet cloth, wrapping something cool around your neck can feel fantastic in the heat. It’s easy enough to re-wet the towel at a gas station, truck stop, or restaurant too!
Sit On It
A towel on the neck feels great, but few things feel worse than a sweaty back! Luckily, there are some cooling seat covers that you can buy that will let the air flow more easily. No more wet shirts and uncomfortable drives.
Check Out Another Blog: Trucker Path: Everything You Need To Know
Eat Light
Heavy meals with lots of protein might give you something called “meat sweats”. Yes, it sounds pretty gross, but it’s true! Instead of something that requires a lot of work from your body to break down, eating fruits, vegetables, and other light snacks can actually help keep you cool!
Throw A Block
Actually, throw two kinds of blocks!
First, get yourself a window block to help keep the sun out of your cab when you know you’ll be stepping away for a while. This can also help you get on the road quicker since you don’t need to wait for it to cool off.
Second, put on some sunblock! Few things will make you feel hotter than a sunburn!
Use Science!
If you’ve climbed into your cab and can barely breathe because it’s so hot inside, here’s how to flush out the hot air as quickly as possible:
- Open the lower air vents
- Close the higher ones
- Crack open the window
- Turn On The A/C
Hot air rises, so doing this will maximize the amount of cold coming in and heat going out!
