The rise of sleep tourism and the growing numbers of people sleeping in their cars and trucks is well-documented, but recently, the practice has taken a new twist, as companies like Airbnb allow the private rental of a hotel room for short stays, usually overnight. While many people travel for vacation, more and more people are renting out their spare rooms and their own beds – often to earn a little extra money. While short-term rentals are mostly legal in most places, in other places there are regulations that prohibit them.
The practice is also common in the world’s poorest countries, where the cost of housing a hotel room is a major hurdle to people moving to a middle-class life – and where renting out one’s home may be the only option to get a decent amount of money. The UN World Tourism Organization estimates that more than 70 million people a year travel on a short-term basis to visit sites around the world, and that 20 million of them are sleeping in their car or truck.
While some people may be motivated by the tourist dollar and the chance to stay in a nice place by themselves, the UN says the cost of housing can be a major barrier in many countries.
Here are a few things to know about sleeping in your car and truck and what you can do if you’re concerned about safety.
Know What You’re In For
Most people sleeping in their vehicles are well aware that sleeping in their vehicle is not at all safe. There are many things that can go wrong when sleeping in a vehicle. The sleeping bags you bring with you may have holes in them or be full of holes and won’t breathe properly. Your sleeping bags may not fit properly in the back seat. Cracked windshields and ragged seats can lead to injuries, and the heat can make you feel very hot. Air conditioning only takes a few minutes to get warm, and the warm air from the car can be as dangerous as the cold air outside.
When sleeping in your truck, things can get even worse. If the air conditioning doesn’t work or the car is very cold, you may not be comfortable and won’t sleep. If the car is too hot, you could find yourself very uncomfortable because the seats are very hot and the plastic seats are usually very hot.
In addition to the many different factors that can lead to an accident, people sleeping in their vehicles also face many common challenges. These include poor maintenance