As soon as the heat picks up, everyone is asking their friends, and even the nearest trucker, tips to stay cool while they’re on long road trips with the family. While there are countless tips, a lot of them don’t really work.
We decided it was time to separate the myths from the facts and help everyone stay a little happier out there on the road, especially those of us with routes through Arizona this summer!
1. Use Sunblock
This may not seem like a trucker tip to stay cool, more like one to keep you out of the doctor’s office, right? Well ask anyone who’s had a bad sunburn, and they’ll tell you that it feels like someone cranked up the heat in the car by about 20 degrees.
Besides sunburns hurting, they’ll make you feel hotter and make you sweat more while your body is scrambling to heal the damaged skin. That’s a bad combination!
That’s why we suggest starting with this tip first thing in your day and using it throughout the drive. You’ll thank yourself later, trust us.
2. Drive at Night
This may seem silly for most truckers, but starting later and driving through the night might just be the best tip you can use to beat the heat during the summer. If you’re on a tight schedule, this may not work in your best interest, but if you aren’t you might want to utilize this tool.
Many drivers like getting a few hours in during the night, but if you’re able to make this your standard operating style, you might just be killing more than two birds with one stone.
Night drivers will be avoiding the sun, so no need for all of the sunblock we talked about. They also skip all of the traffic, which will save huge sums of time. There are some downsides to this method, however.
If you don’t have a place to stay, this can get expensive because of the hotel or motel accommodations. That’s why it’s suggested that you only do this if you live along the route or have friends or loved ones that will let you stay over and sleep during the day time.
Just make sure that wherever you choose to sleep has A/C though!
3. Take Breaks
Taking breaks during the hottest points of the day is one of the most valuable trucker trips to stay cool on any road trip. Realistically, driving through the night and sleeping through the day just isn’t a great option for anyone but vampires.
Most truckers and families on road trips have no choice but to drive during the day. By eliminating the hottest few hours of the day and eating some lunch somewhere cool, you will save yourself from a really rough rest of the day from an exhausting sun.
4. Have Something Cold
A nice cold one would be ideal on these hot summer days, but that’s definitely against the law in almost every state. We suggest packing or buying some ice-cold water to drink on your drive.
A cold bottled water is refreshing and can be pressed up against your forehead for an immediate sense of relief. If water isn’t your thing, you can go for a soda, ice-coffee, or even an ice cream to keep you cool.
Contact Us
We know trucker tips to stay cool this summer are numerous, but these are a few of the proven tips that we know work. If you’re having any problems with your truck or have a question about your current order, give us a call at 877-693-5192.