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Cheap Sleeps on the Road When Tired
Everyone knows how dangerous driving is when a person is drowsy or tired. Here are the pros and cons of sleeping in roadside rest areas and alternative solutions for getting the rest you need when you canīt afford a motel for the night.
Driving when drowsy or tired is never acceptable. Both your driving ability and reaction times are severely impacted by needing to get some sleep. Signs of driving fatigue include having difficulty keeping your eyes open, yawning, sweaty palms, cramps or stiffness, head starts to drop, nodding off, hitting the rumble strip, lane drifting, unaware of where you are, finding your mind wandering all over the place, having difficulty seeing the highway, and not paying attention to what you are doing.
Don't endanger yourself or others by driving when you are tired. Here are some tips for dealing with the tiredness that a long trip on the road can create:
Eat a nutritious breakfast each day.
Stop at all rest areas and walk around in the fresh air for at least ten minutes. Safety officials suggest a 10-minute stop per every hour of driving.
If you drink coffee, and free coffee is offered at the rest area, take a cup.
Even if it is cold outside, don't leave your engine running while you are sleeping.
Park your car in a well lighted section of a rest area or parking lot.
So you don't misplace your car keys, leave the key in the ignition.
CHEAP PLACES TO SLEEP
Roadside Rest Areas. Know the time limits that have been set for the rest area where you plan to nap. Some have a three or four hour limit and you may find yourself awakened by a law enforcement officer.
Wal-Mart parking lot. These are well-lit, have 24-hour security personnel, and many Wal-Marts are open all night. You can purchase an inexpensive Wal-Mart atlas at any branch location. Wal-Mart permits recreational-vehicle (RV) and vehicle parking on their store lots overnight, but this is contingent on local regulations. FreeCampgrounds.com has a listing of stores that do not allow overnight parking.
Cracker Barrel parking lot. Their site offers driving directions for your trip that include Cracker Barrel locations. The restaurants also have a list of their locations that indicate which ones have large parking areas.
Truck stops. These are a pretty safe location to get some sleep, but they can be quite noisy.
Miscellaneous public parking lots. Only use these as an absolute last resort. The best choices if you can't find any place else to sleep are the parking lots of hospitals, airports, car-pools, public access boat ramp areas, and all-night restaurants or supermarkets. I don't recommend church or school parking areas.
State Parks. If you've packed a small tent and sleeping bag, these can be a safe and inexpensive place to sleep and shower.
Bottom line. Don't push yourself too far. When you sense that you are getting tired, find a place to rest or sleep.
More Resources
Cracker Barrel parking lot
FreeCampgrounds.com
Land Travel
Wal-Mart parking lot
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