Top Tips for HGV Drivers to Stay Alert on the Road

Driving long distance can take its toll. You’ll be concentrating for long lengths of time and you’ll be in charge of a hefty vehicle so it’s vital you’re alert and in control. There have been many horror stories of drivers falling asleep at the wheel and wreaking all sorts of havoc, so stay alert, focused, and on the ball.

Rest when you need to

We all need sleep and that’s a fact – and there’s no getting around it. Sleep gives our bodies and brains the vital down time in order for it to repair, rest and rejuvenate. You need sleep in order to function to the best of your abilities. Trying to cheat on sleep is a fool’s game so make sure you get regular rest breaks, and sleep a good 7 hours at night if at all possible.

Eat Properly

Feasting on junk food at service stations is a seriously bad habit, plus it won’t do you any favours. Not only will you put on weight (especially as you won’t be able to jog it off afterwards because you’ll be back in your cab), but it will make you feel sleepy and groggy too. If you want to stay alert on the road you need to eat smart not dumb. So ditch the carb-laden noodle pots that are sky high with salts, sugars and other nasties, and opt for fresh food as much as possible. Make your own sandwiches and that way you’ll know what’s gone in them, eat healthy snacks like –

•Fruit
•Veg sticks with hummus
•Yoghurt
•Nuts

Be Mindful

Mindfulness is a form of meditation that helps you to stay in the moment and stop your thoughts from trailing off. Driving for long distances can be hard on your brain and you may often find yourself thinking about all manner of disconnected things such as HGV training finance payments to a past relationship that’s gone wrong. If you can though, try and bring your thoughts back to what you are doing now, where you are driving to, and focus on where you are. Doing this should help keep your brain focused on the here and now which is vital for staying alert on the roads.

Think back to your HGV Training

Cast your mind back to your training course. Maybe you were worrying about meeting your HGV training finance payments, or perhaps there was something going on at home. How did you pull yourself out of it and get back to the task in hand? Maybe you left the room for a short break and came back in more determined to focus. You can do this on the road too – just pull over, refocus, and then get back to the driving.

Staying alert is vital to succeed as an HGV driver, so practice these top tips and hopefully you’ll be able to concentrate and complete your journeys calmly and alert.

Train as an HGV Driver Now, Pay Later

It’s always the way, you discover the perfect training course then see the sum it costs to sign up for it. While HGV training strives to be as affordable as possible, for some it’s simply not possible to hand over a lump sum all in one go. Thankfully though, these days there is HGV training finance available. It works in a similar way as buying something from a catalogue does. Say you’ve seen an awesome flat screen TV that you simply can’t live without… you buy it, but you decide to pay for it in instalments over a number of weeks. That’s just how HGV training finance works. Most people can benefit from it and it means you won’t have to fork out for the cost of training all in one go.

In the past few years, HGV training has increased in popularity. This, coupled with the fact there has been a distinct lack of qualified HGV drivers on the circuit, means it’s a vocation that pays. There are countless opportunities all across the UK for skilled and suitably qualified HGV drivers. Remuneration packages are good, the work is reliable, and you could be based anywhere in the UK. When you consider all of these factors, it’s little wonder more and more people are turning to careers as HGV drivers.

However, if the initial training costs are stopping you from moving forward in your chosen career path, it can be a long wait to get your funds in place. Saving money towards a training course may take a year, and that can feel immensely frustrating. Fortunately though, there are schemes that exist where you can train now and ‘pay later’ over a period of time. You’ll usually pay a small deposit initially and will then pay the rest back, with interest, over an agreed length of time. You’ll usually need to meet a few requirements which are often along the lines of: you’ll need to be over 18, work at least 16 hours or more a week, be a UK resident with a permanent UK address, and be able to supply details of your past addresses for the last three years. You’ll also need to have a good credit report – that means no CCJs, bankruptcies, or IVAs against you.

If you’re not sure how good your credit report looks, before you apply for finance it’s always wise to make sure it’s as ‘clean’ as possible. There are a number of credit report agencies that can often supply your credit report for free (if you take up a free trial and then cancel). Good credit reports will show that you have made up to date payments on things like mortgages, phone contracts and so on.

HGV training finance allows you to move forward with your career even if you haven’t got enough cash in the bank to immediately pay for the full sum of the training course. You’ll pay interest on your payments, but by paying over a longer period of time you won’t feel the pinch of paying a large lump sum at the start.