![]() ![]() Team driving can discourage potential attackers who may not want to deal with a second person. Like it or not, women drivers are at higher risk in rest areas and truck stops. Follow your gut it is better to be cautious than to become a victim. Keep your trailer locked as well to protect your load. To prevent problems like this, always lock your truck immediately after leaving it. Both scammers left abruptly after this confrontation. The first driver intervened, warning that the pair planned to rob the other driver. This time, the men convinced the second driver to go with them. Not long afterward, the driver noticed the same pair targeting the truck next to him. Soon, another man approached him and tried to get him to leave again. Trusting his instincts, the driver remained in his truck. He asked the driver to watch it with him. The man began describing a dramatic altercation between another driver and a fuel clerk. One driver in a trucking forum mentioned being approached by a man. Avoiding Scamsīeware of anyone who tries to lure you away from your truck. Park My Truck uses similar reporting methods to provide information on over 5,000 independent and chain truck stops across the United States. Users indicate the city where they will stop for the night and receive reports from other drivers on available parking spaces in the area. Trucker Path Bro works with the Trucker Path app and Facebook Messenger. ![]() Use Apps to Locate Safe ParkingĬareful planning and using apps like Trucker Path Bro or Park My Truck can help you locate the safest parking options. In high-traffic areas, the limited number of truck parking spaces often fill by 6 p.m. Many chains have food, showering facilities, laundry, and other amenities available for drivers. When a hotel is not an option, truck stops are usually the best choice for an overnight stay. If you cannot locate this type of parking area, back into an area that will allow you to pull out easily. Pull-through parking helps reduce the time you need to pull out of the rest area. If you do run into trouble, you need to be able to leave quickly. It is also a good idea to consider conceal or open carry laws for which states you travel through. If you carry a firearm, ensure you have the proper permits for it. Being inexperienced with a knife, gun, or pepper spray, you can seriously harm yourself or it can be used against you. Regardless of the defensive mechanism you choose, make sure you know how to use it. Other drivers opt to carry a club, knife, or gun. Pepper spray can be an important prevention. If a thief is aware that help is close by, they may be less likely to target you or your truck. Whenever possible, park near other trucks. When stopping, try to avoid rest areas that appear deserted or isolated. Ohio limits each stay to a maximum of 14 hours, and Wyoming limits vary depending on the rest area. For example New York, you are only allowed to stay overnight at a rest area if it is an emergency. Other states place time limits or conditional restrictions on truck rest area stays. Also, Ohio drivers are only permitted overnight stays along the Ohio Turnpike. Indiana has the same restriction for the Indiana toll road. For example, Connecticut only allows extended stays in rest areas that are just off the Illinois toll road. Keep in mind, even in states that allow overnight parking, additional restrictions may apply. Below are some tips for safe parking at truck rest areas: Follow State LawsĬurrently, only a few states allow visitors to stay the night. ![]() ![]() Also, it is important to know which states allow drivers to park overnight and which states consider extended stays illegal. With the poor lighting at some rest areas, this may not be accommodating to big rigs. Knowing how to keep yourself and your load safe is an important skill. Fatigue and frustration can often cause tempers to flare, increasing in the risk of accidents and crime. With the lack of security personnel and quick access to highways, this makes truck stops appealing to criminals who prey on unsuspecting truck drivers.Įven in well-lit, premium parking areas at truck stops, naïve or unalert drivers can become a victim of a scam. Although some states allow overnight stays at rest areas, most states have laws against extended parking times. Unfortunately, most rest areas or truck stops are poorly lit areas and can be prone to accidents and crime. Many drivers will pull over to an on-ramp, shoulder, truck stop, or rest area on the highway. With the current parking shortage, it makes it difficult for truck drivers to find a safe place to park and sleep. Truck drivers are often faced with the choice between Hours of Service (HOS) violations or traffic fines. ![]()
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