Can I Stop To Sleep On The Shoulder?
There is a lot of talk about driving fatigue, and we are encouraged to stop when we feel it. But what if there is no place to stop? Can you sleep on the shoulder? Let’s see the rules stipulated in this regard.
Is it legal to sleep on the shoulder?
In the media, lawsuits have been heard from people who have stopped on the shoulder for various reasons. The truth is that the hard shoulder is not an extra road nor is it passable, but much will depend on the type of agent that touches us and the reason why we have stopped.
For example, not long ago a story went viral about a father who had to pay a fine of 90 euros for stopping on the shoulder for his daughter to pee. His indignation was such that he said:
Even the DGT itself admitted that the hard shoulder can only be used in case of breakdown or emergency, but that in reality it was the agents who would decide if the emergency was justified. Well, this is precisely what happens in whether or not you can stop to sleep on the shoulder.
If you are very fatigued, and even with a gas station a little further on, you think that you do not arrive and stop on the shoulder, you can calmly explain it to the guards, and you may not have any problem. This could clearly be a justified emergency. But of course, that does not mean that one can stop on the shoulder for the night; Is totally prohibited.
Fine for sleeping on the shoulder
In fact, another viralized news had to do precisely with a similar event. A man stopped to sleep on the shoulder taking part of the right lane of the road, which caused a considerable traffic jam. The man, who had a positive breathalyzer test, was charged with a crime classified in the Road Safety Law.
Therefore, can you stop to sleep on the shoulder? It depends. What does it depend on? Depending on how the agent sees it, it all depends. What is certain is that in these cases the phrase of? Speaking, people understand it is viable.
Can you sleep in the car?
Thinking about this, is it possible to spend the night in the car? Is it legal? Well, there is no law stipulated by the Traffic Law, Road Safety or the DGT itself. Parking in a legally authorized place is not a crime, and no one contravenes about what is inside the car, be it objects or people.
In fact, as we mentioned at the beginning, one of the most repeated advice by the DGT is that the driver rest when he feels fatigued, where is he expected to do it if it is not in the car? It would not make sense.
Of course, like everything else, this is a more complex issue to analyze further. Taking a nap in the car is not the same as camping in it. If the vehicle is properly parked with the trunk and doors closed, even if we are inside, there is no one who can prevent us from doing so.
Therefore, as in everything, the ideal in this case is also to find the balance. If you are fatigued, stop and sleep on the shoulder or wherever you can. If agents see you, speak calmly and explain the situation, always with respect and politeness. And if you want to camp in the car, you’d better think of other options to go on vacation.
