Keeping yourself healthy and well in the workplace is essential, but it goes beyond office health and safety. Your workplace is wherever you work and, for a lot of people, that’s on the road. Whether you’re a freelance delivery driver, whether you drive with a rideshare app, or whether you simply travel a lot for your job, your car is your workspace and it’s up to you to make it a healthy and safe place.

Here, we are going to look at a few ways to make sure that you’re staying safe, staying healthy, and staying well in your workplace if your workplace happens to be on the road.

Taking care of your body

When you spend a lot of time sitting in the car, it’s only natural that it’s going to take some toll on your body. When you can, find the opportunity to stretch, loosening up your muscles, and you might even want to stop to find the opportunity for a quick ten-minute exercise every hour or so. Similarly, make sure that you’re watching your posture, setting your seat upright so that you can prevent the neck and back problems that come as a result of putting too much weight and pressure on the wrong places.

Stay hands-free whenever you’re on the road

Distracted driving is a major risk and only lately have we begun to truly acknowledge how bad it can be to have to pick up and operate a smartphone while driving. It’s fast becoming illegal in many places, but you should make sure that you don’t do it even if you legally can. Buying a hands-free set-up for your phone is crucial. However, you should still avoid consulting maps, GPS apps, or other attention-stealing apps when you’re driving, even if you are in hands-free mode. Anything that takes your attention from the road should be minimized as best as possible.

Beware the risk of drowsy driving

One of the biggest risks of long-term driving is that tiredness can start to take its toll. Drowsy driving is fast becoming a major risk on the road as more and more people take long commutes or drive for work but there are ways to mitigate it. Although it can seem like brute-forcing the issue, coffee and energy drinks can help you stay more alert and focused.  However, your best bet is to find a safe place to stop and take a nap when you start to feel your attention starting to fade away.

Be ready for accidents

Some of the tips above are going to help you avoid getting into accidents on the road but it’s important to still acknowledge their possibility of happening. Rather than being caught unawares, it’s best to have some sort of game plan to deal with them. Having a team of car accident lawyers to contact in a pinch is essential. Otherwise, you should consider packing a car emergency kit, including things like high visibility gear to keep you safe if you’re stopped on the road, as well as a first-aid kit to manage any injuries.

Ensure you unwind and relax

Aside from the fact that you should be taking breaks from driving simply to make sure that you don’t start slipping into dangerous driving habits, you should also be aware of the effects of long-distance driving on your mental health. It’s pretty stressful being behind the wheel for hours at a time so t’s important to spend time relaxing. Finding methods to help with stress, be it by reading, by meditating, or by engaging in some hobby is crucial. Just make sure you don’t deal with stress through drinking or other substance uses when you have to drive again soon.

Don’t forget about the sun

Depending on the vehicle that you drive, your windows might not be blocking the UV rays coming from the sun as effectively as they can. The skin damage caused by long-term exposure to the sun can be more than just surface level, it can result in skin cancer as well. Make sure that you’re using high SPF sunscreen that protects against both UV-A and UV-B rays when you’re driving. A good pair of driving sunglasses can protect your eyes without hampering your vision, too.

There are plenty more tips than just the ones above that can help you ensure that you stay healthy, safe, secure, and well on the road. Take these tips as a diving-off point and make sure that you accommodate any of them to the specific nature of your work, as well.