There have been a lot of new trucking industry trends to keep track of in 2020, especially when it comes to ensuring trucker safety. With COVID-19 dramatically changing the way our country runs, the efforts needed to be a safe trucker look a bit different than they usually do.
To help drivers keep themselves and those around them healthy this summer, we’ve outlined a few things that define what safe trucking looks like in 2020.
Following the CDC’s COVID Safety Guidelines
When it comes to summer trucking safety in 2020, one of the most important things to do is follow the CDC’s safety guidelines for COVID prevention. According to the CDC website, being a safe trucker means:
- Limiting close contact with other people by maintaining six feet of distance
- Wearing a cloth face covering or mask in public when staying six feet apart isn’t possible
- Frequently cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces you come into contact (door handles, steering wheel, seat belt, turn signal, etc.)
- Washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds every time you enter or leave the cab
- Packing food, water, and supplies, so you don’t have to make as many stops on the road
- Wearing gloves whenever you venture outside of the truck
Here at Lily Transportation, there’s nothing more important than trucker safety. To support our drivers’ safety, we’ve equipped them with advanced cleaning supplies (like a lithium-ion sprayer that we use to clean and disinfect the interior of their trucks) to ensure nothing less than the safest working environments.
Making Summer Trucking Safety a Priority
Looking beyond COVID, summer trucking comes with its own health and safety recommendations for truckers. The summer season can be unpredictable. You never know if you’ll be driving through a heatwave, rainstorm, or heavy winds. That’s why Lily Transportation provides its drivers with a collection of summer trucking safety tips and guidelines to help them embrace the safe trucker lifestyle.
Some of the most important ways a trucker can prioritize their safety include taking actions like:
- Checking the weather so you can prepare yourself for day’s travel
- Making sure you stay hydrated
- Having a healthy selection of snacks (fruits, veggies, trail mixes, granola, etc.)
- Wearing sunscreen if it’s sunny outside (it’s still possible to get sunburnt even when you’re inside the truck for most of the day)
- Paying attention to traffic trends
- Maintaining the areas of your truck that are especially affected by the summer heat (cooling and air-conditioning systems, coolant levels, tires and tire pressure, and the brake system, for example)
Being a safe trucker in 2020 looks a bit different than it did in years prior, but with the truck driver safety tips and guidelines above, you can keep yourself strong, healthy, and ready for whatever the season throws your way.
