Almost everyone loves the longer days that come with spring and summer. Especially truck drivers. Daytime drives are more enjoyable and generally safer. But they do come with their own unique risks. One of the biggest, yet least noticeable is sun exposure.
While a little bit of sun can be a good thing for your body, too much can have some serious consequences. Did you know that skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the US? Every day, over 9500 people in the US are diagnosed with it. It is believed that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
As a truck driver, you face a lot of sun exposure. We don’t just mean when you’re outside of truck, but when you’re in it as well. While windshields typically have some form of UV filtering in place, side windows often don’t.
Even with a filter, some rays can still get through. And if you’re the type of person who likes to roll their window down and place their arm on the window, you’re exposing yourself even further. Just because you’re not getting a sunburn doesn’t mean you’re safe.
After all…
Overexposure is Not Synonymous with Sunburn
Some think that as long as they don’t get burned, they’re not being overexposed to the sun. This is simply not true. Even if you’re tan or have a naturally darker complication, overexposure is overexposure.
Constantly subjecting unprotected skin to the sun will significantly increase your chances of developing skin cancer. Period.
Additionally, it’s important to know that cloudy days don’t shield you from the sun’s UV rays. No matter what it looks like outside, if it’s daytime, you need to cover up your skin.
Keeping Your Skin Safe as a Truck Driver
The simplest and most effective step in protecting your skin is to wear sunscreen every day. Make sure to cover your face, ears, neck, arms, and hands. Basically, if your skin is exposed, put sunscreen on it. And make sure the sunscreen is strong enough.
It’s recommended that you use SPF 50. You should put it on 15-30 minutes before you go outside. Not only will this keep your skin protected, but it will keep you looking younger and healthier.
Still, sunscreen might not be enough for long drives under direct light. It’s certainly not a bad idea to add UV shielding to your driver’s side window. A protective sleeve can help as well. If you start getting warm, just turn your AC up.
Take Care of Yourself as Trucker
It’s very important that truck drivers take care of themselves, both physically and mentally. This includes keeping your skin protected, staying healthy, and working for a trucking company that cares for you. With the availability of trucking jobs out there, there’s no reason to keep with a company that isn’t looking out for you.
At Woodruff Enterprises, we like to consider our drivers a part of the family. That means offering both respect and some great incentives. If you’d like to learn more about what makes Woodruff different, apply today!