A sleepy employee, in many cases, is little more than unproductive.  However, if you have a driver that is sleepy, he or she is putting your company, reputation, and the lives of countless other motorists at risk.  Studies have shown that driving while tired makes you as impaired as driving while intoxicated.  So it is important to be able to spot the driver that is sleep deprived, and train them on best practices so they can get adequate sleep and function to their best while on the road.  Here are some warning signs that your driver may be sleep deprived.

Driving Errors

While your driver is out on the road it can be hard to track his or her errors.  But you can get reports.  Errors can be noted such as failure to stop at a weigh station, traffic violations, or errors when they are loading and unloading their truck.  The greater the sleep deprivation, the more errors they commit.

How to Spot the Signs of Sleep Deprivation

Irritability

Those who haven’t had enough sleep become irritable, often at seemingly benign items.  If you notice that your driver is getting unnecessarily upset at little things (for instance if the coffee pot has run dry), then you may have a sleep deprived driver on your hands.

Also Read: 5 Tips for a Better Nights Sleep

Lack of Communication

Communication is essential in any job.  But as a worker goes without sleep for too long, they not only get quieter, but they stop making as much sense when they do try to communicate.  Watch for slurred speech, long pauses, mumbling, and incoherent sentences.

Decreased Productivity

Try this one at home.  When you’re extremely tired, try reading a book.  It will take roughly twice as long to get through a page, especially if you are trying to retain the information that you read.  A driver that is sleep deprived will take much longer to do tasks than someone who is functioning on a full night’s rest.

Increased Distractions

When you are meeting with your driver one-on-one, notice where they pay attention.  Most people should be able to stay on task, look you in the eye, and be able to follow along without too many problems.  A sleep deprived person will not only look tired, but their eyes will wander and they won’t be able to track the conversation.

Also Read: Sleep Apnea: Regaining Control of Your Health

How to Prevent Sleep Deprived Drivers

You would never think of getting in a truck without first understanding how to shift gears.  But many drivers get into a truck without knowing how to maximize their sleep.  It may not seem like a big deal since sleep is sleep.  But anywhere other than the comforts of their own bed and people will end up having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.  Combine that with the desire to get back on the road and maximize profits, and you have a recipe for a sleep deprived driver that is making the road unsafe.
Instead of just hoping for the best, make sure you understand how to fall asleep properly.  Here are a few quick pointers:

Avoid these items within a few hours of bedtime.

  • Spicy foods
  • Caffeine
  • Greasy foods
  • Lots of liquid
  • Alcohol or Tobacco

Set up your sleep environment with these in mind.

  • Keep it dark, so dark you can’t see anything
  • Keep it cool, most people sleep best between 65 and 70 degrees
  • Keep it quiet, if total silence isn’t an option, white noise can drown out distracting sounds
  • Keep it calm, make sure those around you know not to bother you when you have to get some sleep.

You can read more truck driver sleep tips from the CDC.

Whether you drive yourself, or you have employees that drive for you, knowing the signs of sleep deprivation is the easiest way to save lives, time, money, and your reputation.

Image Source - https://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/

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Tara Schaub

Originally from Michigan, Tara started at ATBS in August of 2012. She began her career in the Administrative Services Department, and then moved on to become a Customer Relationship Representative in 2013. She now works directly with the enrollment team, and also assists the Marketing Team with a variety of different tasks. When not at work, Tara loves to play tennis, volleyball, hike and go on bike rides.

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