Health Tips for HGV Drivers in 2020

The shortage of HGV drivers in the UK has climbed to 59,000 as 64% of transport and storage businesses now face severe skills shortages, according to a report by FTA (October 2019), so it has never been more important to ensure that you are keeping healthy on the job.

The current average age of UK HGV drivers is 53, with 13% of them being over the age of 60 – meaning many of them will be retiring within the next 5 to 10 years. So, with an ageing workforce and with only 2% of employed drivers being under the age of 25, it’s important that current HGV drivers are staying as healthy as possible.

Stay hydrated

Sounds obvious, but water is essential and dehydration can cause a multitude of issues such as loss of alertness and tiredness – important things for a driver.

HGV drivers should consume around 2 litres or water each day to stay hydrated. Instead of buying expensive water bottles every day to carry around in your truck, invest in a refillable container that you can use and sip from throughout the day. Your body will only tell you when you’re dehydrated, so it is important to drink plenty at regular intervals to stay alert. They even have bottles that have markers on highlighting how much you should have consumed by certain parts of the day which can help you to stay on track!

You should also try to stick to 2 cups of coffee or less per day, as whilst coffee can be helpful whilst you’re driving, it can affect your sleeping schedule which can then have a negative impact the following day.

Eating healthy on the go

With driving being a sedentary job, this makes your food intake very important, as eating unhealthy will add to the inactivity. Try to avoid drive-thrus, junk and fast food where possible and instead focus on ways that you can eat healthily whilst driving. Most large supermarkets will have sufficient parking for your HGV and many petrol stations now have ample food selections due to partnerships with food shops.

Here are some ideas:

- Deli station boxes or pre-made salads – this will enable you to stay healthy whilst still
creating a meal from items that you will enjoy eating.
- Pre-washed and cut fruit or dried vegetables.
- Hummus and carrot sticks or cucumbers.
- Mixed nuts.
- Pre-washed and cut vegetables.
- Jerky
- Yoghurt

It is important to remember that raw fruit and vegetables contain a lot of great vitamins and minerals which is not only great for your overall health, but also help digestion. Although there are a lot of options for food whilst on the road, making healthier choices when it comes to food is down to you as the driver, and is one of our most important health tips for HGV drivers.

Using an app to track your calorie and vitamin intake is a good way to help consistency whilst also highlighting and assisting with any areas that you need to improve.

Getting plenty of rest

With 1 in 6 deaths or serious injuries on the road due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel, it is vital that you make the most of your rest periods and breaks. If you’re working long hours that require you to concentrate a lot, it’s key to make sure you’re getting enough sleep to prevent fatigue and drowsiness.

The majority of health adults will need between 7 and 9 hours sleep each night in order to function at their best, so if you’re on a job that requires you to sleep in your truck, make sure to park your truck in a safe and quiet place (again could link to apps to find suitable places or another article) and try to get in a routine of regular times for going to sleep and getting up.

Where possible, you should also make time to pull over, get out of your truck and stretch your legs or do some simple exercises. This will all help to get your blood flow circulating properly whilst also helping to keep you alert.

The EU Driver’s Hours Law is clear that drivers should not be driving for more than 9 hours per day (or 10 hours if it is extended twice a week) and that drivers must take at least 11 hours of rest each day (this can also be reduced to 9 hours, 3 times between any 2 weekly rest periods). For every 4 and a half hours of driving a 45-minute rest period must also be taken; this would be an ideal time to get out of the truck and move around.

Staying active

Although stretching your legs is good, regularly staying active and exercising will provide additional benefits when it comes to keeping healthy on the road. As we said previously, driving is a sedentary job, and to combat issues with being overweight or obese, the NHS has stated that all adults should exercise for 150 minutes per week, which is around half an hour per day, 5 days per week.

Here are a few ideas for how you could fit that into your packed driving schedule:

- Walking or Jogging: each person is different, but even factoring in a couple of short 15-minute walks or jogs during your rest period is a simple but effective way to get in some exercise. You can even get a fitness gadget such as a Fitbit to count your steps and monitor your progress over time.
- Cycling: some people prefer to cycle rather than walking or jogging and this is possible for drivers too! You could get yourself a foldaway bicycle that you can transport around with you whilst driving in order to get in some cycling time. Some of the rest stops may even have cycle tracks that you can take advantage of.
- Weights: another great way to get in your daily exercise is to take some weights along with you. Couple this with some walking or cycling and you’ll get a good, fun mix of activity.

Some truck stops do even have gyms that you may be able to take advantage of.

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