“Is van life safe?” This is one of the most common questions about traveling in a van. Whether you travel part-time, full-time (like us, click here to see our rig!), weekender, or snowbird safety should always be a priority. There are many areas of safety to discuss when it comes to van life; traveling to sketchy areas, maintaining a safe vehicle, preventing break-ins, first aid kits… the list goes on. Continue reading to discover how to stay safe while sleeping inside your van.
Choose a Safe Place to Park
This first tip might seem like common sense, but you would be shocked by how many bad stories start with “The spot seemed kind of sketchy but I stayed anyway”… If it seems sketchy then move on! This has happened to us on several occasions; we have rolled up to a beautiful spot during the day, enjoyed a nice sunset, then as soon as the sun went down the characters came out of the woodworks. Some spots are better left alone. This even applys to established campgrounds and not only boondocking. Some good idicators of a safe spot are:
- There are other campers near by
- The area is well lit
- No broken glass, beer cans, or other pariphanela
- The area is clean and maintained
- Devoid of unsavory characters
- The area has good reviews
Be Ready to Roll Inside your Van
Ok, you found a spot, now what? The next tip is something we preach to all our fellow travelers; pack your camp up at night and be ready to roll at a moment’s notice. Every night clean up camp, stow your things, and keep your diver seat clear and accessible. These simple actions can prevent many undesirable events. Cleaning up camp at night keeps the animals and critters away, stowing your things prevents theft and keeps your space clutter-free, and keeping the driver seat open allows you to jump in and drive away because it is a lot more dangerous to confront the unknown outside than to drive away to safety. Remember to keep your keys in a quickly accessible location so you can find them in the dark. Keep valuable stowed out of sight, out of mind; most crimes are crimes of opertunity.
Install Exterior Side Lights for Safety
Adding exterior sides lights is a great way to stay safe while sleeping in your van. If you hear something scurrying around outside you can pop a sidelight on and assess the situation. Usually, something as simple as light can deter many undesirable things including people and animals. Side lighting is great if you have dogs because nobody wants to jump out into the dark on top of a rattlesnake.
Lock the Doors
Another common sense and self explanatory tip on how to stay safe while sleeping inside your van is to lock your doors. Make sure you have a way to vent and circulate air without leaving doors and windows open. If you need to vent with your windows, install vents that lock-in. You may also consider a secondary lock just make sure it is easy to open from the inside in case of an emergency such as fire. Many people even separate the cab from the living space with a bulkhead or a lockable door. There are many lock options, just choose the right option for you, and be sure to actually lock up.
Don’t Park Broadside to the Wind
Especially near a cliff ledge… This applies more to large rigs but let’s put it in for good measure. We were shocked to hear that every few years RVs blow over the cliff side of the badlands! I can’t make this stuff up. Don’t park broadside to the wind near a cliff edge! Just don’t do it. Don’t risk your life for that sick view becuase it’s not worth it. You will also be much more comfortable nose into the wind as your rig will not sway while you try to sleep.
Have a Plan and Means to Protect Yourself
Whether it’s pepper spray, an ax, or other means have something you are trained with and comfortable with actually using to protect yourself as a last resort. We always say the best way to stay safe is to avoid the confilict in the first place but in some situations that is simply not an option and you must resort to other measures. Thankfully we have never had this happen to us but we know others who have had to resort to self defence. Our friend very recenlty was camping alone and had three men approche him and saying they were going to steel everything he had and hurt him. Thankfully he had a way of defending him self and was able to scare them off long enough to make a getaway. Nobody likes to think about the worst case but its better to be prepared and not need it then to need it and not have it.
Overall, traveling by van is very safe. We have only had a handful of odd encounters over the past few years and none where we truly felt our lives were in danger. We do a lot of boondocking and parking in unconventional places but using these tips we have stayed safe. Rember to choose a safe place to park, always be ready to roll, install sidelights, lock your doors, be mindful of the wind, and lasty have a plan and means to protect yourself. In conculsion, when in dought trust your gut. If it does not feel right then dont stay. There is always another spot down the road or at a Cracker Barrel you can rest for the evening. We hope you enjoyed theese tips on how to stay safe while sleeping inside your van!
Cheers and safe travels,
Mindy and Joe
Do you have any other tips to stay safe while sleeping in your van? Let us know in the comments below or reach out to us on YouTube, Instagram, or Facebook!
