Lifestyle

Seven Common Problems Truckers Experience on the Road, and How to Solve Them

Published

6 years ago

February 15, 2020

Driving a truck doesn’t sound that difficult on the surface, but it can be very dangerous. Spending so much time behind the wheel automatically increases your chances of getting into an accident, it increases your chances of having to hire a truck accident lawyer, and it means you’ll be at home recovering instead of making money on the road.

Getting the right training is the first step to making sure you’re safe when driving your truck, but there are many other dangers you should be on the lookout for.

Fatigued Driving

One of the most common problems truck drivers face is fatigue. Long hours on the road away from your comfortable bed at home combined with tight deadlines creates a perfect storm of sleep deprivation. Unfortunately, most truckers push through the fatigue and keep driving.

If you’re feeling tired, you’re putting yourself and others on the road in danger. It’s important to get a full 8 hours of sleep in every 24-hour period, whether you choose to sleep at night or during the day.

A 20-minute nap can be very helpful too. A quick snooze can increase your energy levels and make it easier for you to concentrate on the road.

If pulling over isn’t an option, try cracking the window or turning up the music until you make it to the next truck stop.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a real problem for everyone who drives a vehicle. Texting is the biggest culprit. Everyone seems to do it, and yet, it increases your chance of getting into an accident by nearly 25 percent.

No matter how tempting, you shouldn’t use your phone while you’re driving. Put it on silent and out of reach so you aren’t tempted to text someone back while you’re driving. Save any texts or phone calls for when you pull over.

Texting isn’t the only thing that can distract you behind the wheel! A few other distractions include:

Reaching for an object on the floor or in the other seat.
Eating while driving.
Adjusting the controls in the cabin.

The key is to focus on the road. If you’re tempted to do something that will take your attention away, you shouldn’t do it.

Speeding

Speeding is the norm among cars on the interstate. Truckers shouldn’t speed, even if you’re trying to meet a tight deadline. Not only is it dangerous, but it can also affect your CDL license.

Speeding means going over the posted speed limit, but it can mean other things beyond the number on the roadside sign. Truckers should go slower during inclement weather, which includes rain, snow, and fog.

Road conditions should affect a trucker’s speed too. Hilly roads, curving roads, and narrow roads require a trucker to go slower. Don’t be tempted to plow through at your current speed, even if it means you have to drive below the speed limit.

Aggressive Driving

Speeding isn’t the only form of aggressive driving. There are other ways you can drive aggressively, and it’s easy to do when tempers run high hour after hour on the road.

Aggressive habits to break include:

Tailgating
Cutting in front of other drivers
Running red lights
Weaving in and out of traffic
Changing lanes without signaling

Anything that is done in anger on the road is not a good idea. If you regularly experience road rage, you should learn a few relaxation techniques, like taking deep breaths or use calming essential oils in the cabin.

Boredom

There are a lot of great things about being a truck driver. There’s nothing like driving across the country, and it can be peaceful to do it by yourself, but not all roads are the same. Some roads in the United States drag on for mile after mile with nothing to capture your interest. Boredom is a common problem experienced by truckers.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can try when dealing with boredom on the road. Music is a good place to start, but if you notice yourself not paying attention to the tunes on the radio, try listening to an audiobook instead. CB chatter can pass the time, as can playing road games, like the alphabet game.

Loneliness

Driving a truck can be peaceful, but it can also be lonely. Loneliness can actually be dangerous to your health and wellbeing, so it’s important to find a way to feel connected when you’re on the road.

A few ideas for staying connected include:

Plan time into your trip to call or text friends and family members back home.
Consider bringing a pet on the road.
Consider bringing a spouse or a friend on a haul.
Participate in the trucking community through forums, Facebook groups, and chat rooms.

When you do stop the truck, a little chit chat can go a long way towards making you feel more connected. A short conversation with the person behind the gas station counter or another trucker can give you a boost of energy and make you feel a little less lonely.

Overconfidence

It’s important to have confidence behind the wheel, but make sure it isn’t false confidence. No matter how many hours you’ve spent behind the wheel, no one is immune to fatigue, boredom, and the other things on this list, but many drivers think they are, and they make mistakes on the road because of it.

You always have to remember the inherent danger in driving a huge truck at fast speeds. It deserves your complete attention. You may have never been in an accident, but it takes just one mistake, and you could find yourself in a deadly crash.

You may not have to deal with office politics or managing multiple projects at the same time like your office counterparts, but that doesn’t mean trucking doesn’t come with plenty of challenges of its own! Follow the tips on this list and you can conquer any roadside challenge that comes your way.

Lifestyle

The Future of Social Dancing: How Latin Dance is Adapting to a New Generation

Published

5 days ago

August 21, 2025

Michelle Langton

Latin dance thrives on connection. The music, the partner, and the crowd all feed one another.

Today, that connection is shaped by a younger, digitally fluent generation, and few understand the shift better than Damian Guzman, founder of Bachata Sensual America (BSA). From prize-winning festivals to late-night socials, Guzman and BSA show how the scene is evolving without losing its roots.

Streaming steps, viral beats

A decade ago, beginners to Latin dance hunted for grainy DVD tutorials; now they unlock entire combinations on their phones. TikTok loops, YouTube shorts, and Instagram reels have compressed learning into snack-sized bursts.

Many of the artists signed on with Bachata Sensual America meet dancers where they scroll, posting slow-motion breakdowns and “follow-along” drills that rack up thousands of views. This approach addresses two key Gen Z demands: instant access and a clear path from screen to floor.

By allowing newcomers to practice at home before facing a packed room, the online channel lowers the fear barrier while seeding a desire for in-person connection.

Festivals as entry points, not finish lines

Digital discovery is only the first act. For many people, their real baptism happens at multi-day events where practice hours blur into sunrise socials.

BSA’s flagship Houston Bachata Sensual Festival returned on May 2^nd, 2025, with a follow-up week slated for Bachata Sensual Festival Chicago, September 4^th-9^th, 2025. Both weekends pair technique labs with mental-wellness talks and DJs specializing in bachata, mirroring the playlists in dancers’ earbuds.

That balance of skills and community is why independent reviewers named BSA one of the “Top Latin Dance Festivals in the United States” for 2025. Yet, for Damian, awards matter less than the message: a festival can feel world-class without pricing out college students. He keeps passes tiered, encourages volunteer shifts that offset costs, and prepares bootcamps for absolute beginners, ensuring the dance floor reflects the same diversity he sees online.

Teaching culture, not just choreography

Bachata’s recent boom owes much to its European reinvention. Damian experienced that surge firsthand while earning one of the first U.S. instructor certifications in the Bachata Sensual style. He returned determined to give American dancers the same blend of precision and musicality he had experienced abroad.

BSA classes devote equal time to connection cues, body mechanics, and the genre’s Dominican roots. That trifecta resonates with younger students who want authenticity, not just a viral dip.

“In class I tell people, ‘Technique is how you respect your partner; musicality is how you respect the song,’” Guzman said during a recent podcast. The line distills his mission: elevate standards while keeping the dance welcoming.

Building inclusive, mindful spaces

Generation Z brings new expectations around consent, identity, and mental health. BSA’s code of conduct spells out everything from appropriate touch to gender-neutral role selection. Security staff mediate conflicts quickly, and workshop leaders open sessions with grounding exercises to calm nerves. These actions might sound small, yet they remove friction that once pushed many newcomers away.

Damian argues that such policies go beyond ethics; they future-proof the scene. Normalizing role fluidity in Latin dance widens its talent pool and invites richer musical interpretations. By acknowledging anxiety and overstimulation — common concerns for digital natives — events can retain dancers who might otherwise retreat after their first crowded social.

Latin dance has never stood still, and its next evolution is already spinning under disco lights from Houston to Helsinki. With a phone in every pocket and a festival on every calendar, the gap between discovery and mastery keeps shrinking.

Damian Guzman and Bachata Sensual America illustrate what happens when tradition listens, adapts, and leads with purpose. The result is a scene ready for whatever beat the next generation drops — and a future where social dancing feels more connected, inclusive, and alive than ever.