Being sick on the road is one of the worst situations a truck driver could be in. As if being sick is not bad enough, sickness on the road is 10 times worse. If you are sick at work, you can simply go home for the day and rest. This is not the case for truck drivers. Truck drivers are hundred and sometimes thousands of miles from their home. When a truck driver gets sick, it affects their ability to deliver their load on time. They also lose money while trying to recover. As a truck driver, it is important to know how to handle sickness on the road. Check out of 5 tips below.
Stay hydrated
Drinking water and electrolytes have a ton of benefits while you are sick. Water helps replace the fluids lost while loosening up mucus. Hot liquids also have benefits as well. The steam from hot liquids helps relieve congestion and soothe a sore throat.
Stay clear of sugary drinks. They will dehydrate you.
Rest
Sometimes the best thing you can do while being sick is rest. Your health is more important than getting a load delivered on time. Plus, it can be dangerous to drive while you’re sick. Take a day or two to rest and get better. Continuing to work while being sick will only drag out the healing time.
Take medicine
If you start to feel sick, get medicine as soon as possible. Vitamin C supplements are great immune boosters. Also, avoid eating unhealthy, greasy foods. Eating properly keeps you healthy and boosts your immune system.
If you are already sick, check to see which over the counter medicine would help the most.
Talk to your dispatch
Let dispatch know what is going on. If you are sick, you may not be able to perform your daily duties or you may not be able to drive at all.
Don’t rush recovery time
Rushing recovery time can result in re-injuring yourself. Truck drivers know that if their truck is parked then they are not making money. It is better to take a week off work to recover, than try to work when you are not ready and further injuring yourself.
To help prevent yourself from getting sick check out our blog Health Tips Every Trucker Should Follow!
