Driving when you are tired is extremely dangerous. Exhausted drivers not only put their own safety at risk but also pose a threat to other road users and pedestrians. If you are struggling to keep your eyes open it is essential that you stop driving and don’t get behind the wheel again until you are well-rested.
If you have nowhere else to rest, it is possible to sleep in your car when it is safely parked. However, is it safe to sleep in a car with the AC running?
Maybe a hot summer day has worn you out or you have had a long cross country drive and you are in need of some much-needed sleep in a cool environment. Whatever the reason, if you are planning to sleep in your car with the AC running, it is important to know how to do so safely.
It is normal for truck drivers and people who drive for a profession to take naps in their vehicles. However, it is not just people who drive for a living who need to take occasional naps while traveling, anyone who is feeling tired behind the wheel should safely pull over and get some shut-eye.
Sleeping in a car with the AC on is dangerous and drivers are advised not to leave the AC running when sleeping in a car.
When left running for prolonged periods, the AC system can put you and your car at risk. Whilst it is completely possible to sleep in your car with the AC running, it is important to be aware that doing so can potentially be fatal.
The main reason that sleeping in a car with the AC running is dangerous is because of the gas carbon monoxide. The car exhaust fumes emit carbon monoxide into the environment and air around you. This is not life-threatening when you are out driving on the open road, but when confined to small spaces, carbon monoxide can be extremely dangerous.
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when the gas is inhaled, it then prevents oxygen from getting to the blood and cells, leading to poisoning, brain damage, and death.
If there are any leaks in your car’s exhaust or AC system, the carbon monoxide can end up being circulated inside of the car and not traveling out of the exhaust pipe into the air outside.
If there are problems with the car exhaust, you are at a greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when sleeping with the AC running. Sleeping with a fully functioning AC is unlikely to result in a tragedy but you need to be confident that there are no gas leaks in any of your car’s systems first.
If carbon monoxide gets into the car while you are sleeping, you will not wake up. Carbon monoxide is odorless and the poisoning will send you to sleep, it is essential you know there are no leaks before you decide to sleep with the AC running.
Drivers are advised to err on the side of caution and avoid running the AC while they sleep as leaks in the system are not always easy to spot and running the air conditioning with an undetected leak can have devastating consequences.
If the risk to your own life isn’t enough of a deterrent to stop you from sleeping in your car with the AC on, perhaps you will change your mind when you hear the damage it can do to your car.
Running the car AC for long periods while you sleep can result in your car engine overheating. The AC is designed to run when your car is in motion. The air from the outside and the fans work together to keep the engine cool.
When the car is stationary, the engine is not being cooled down as thoroughly as it needs to be, even with the AC system running.
If your engine overheats, the car radiator will likely be damaged and you will need to pay for an expensive repair job or it may need to be replaced. Is running the AC while you nap really worth hundreds of dollars on a new radiator?
Leaving the AC system running for prolonged periods while the car is stationary can drain the car battery.
Imagine waking from your car nap just to discover the battery is dead and you can’t start the car! Draining and recharging the car battery regularly and jump-starting in an emergency can all put a strain on the battery and reduce its overall lifespan.
Electric car drivers do not have to worry about harmful exhaust fumes while sleeping in their car, but running the AC for a long time in an electric car can still cause overheating.
Whilst damage to your car is a costly inconvenience of running the AC while you sleep, we want to mention again how dangerous carbon monoxide poisoning is. By choosing to sleep with the AC on you will be putting your life at risk.
If you have no other option but to sleep in your car overnight, it is possible to do so and stay safe from harmful exhaust fumes.
Here are our top tips on how to sleep in your car safely:
You can leave your car running while you sleep but it is not safe to do so. Running your car’s AC while you sleep can be damaging to your health and can cause the engine to overheat. It is strongly advised that if you want to sleep in your car you should turn the engine off.
Studies have found that oxygen in the air inside a car is completely replaced every few hours. Due to the size of the average car, you would have to be sleeping inside for a very long time before all of the oxygen was depleted. by which point it would have been replaced with freshly circulated air anyway.
Research has found the risk of running out of oxygen is so small that you do not even have to crack the window open if you don’t want to. Of course, an open window will provide better ventilation, but it is not necessary.
It is ok to sit in a parked car with AC on as long as there are no leaks in the AC system or the exhaust. Leaks can allow poisonous carbon monoxide to contaminate the air inside the car and this can be life-threatening.
As stated in this article, while it is possible to leave the AC on while the car is stationary, it can be dangerous for your health and can damage your car.
There are currently no laws in the USA that state sleeping in your car is illegal. However, many parking lots, rest stops, and other public areas have their own rules stating overnight parking is forbidden.
A quick nap in your car during the day should not be a problem but make sure to check local laws before sleeping in your car overnight.
There is no nationwide law-making sleeping in your car a criminal offense, but over 81 towns in the year 2014 had enforced regional laws to prohibit people from sleeping in cars overnight.
Sleeping in a car can be dangerous if you do not plan ahead. Parking in an unsafe area could expose you and your car to potential thieves and criminals. You may also get yourself into trouble with local law enforcement if you park somewhere where overnight parking is prohibited.
You will also be putting your life in danger if you choose to sleep in your car with the AC running or the ignition on as toxic gas carbon monoxide can begin to circulate inside the car.
Yes, it is warmer to sleep in a tent than in a car. Tents are made from fabric designed to insulate the heat and protect campers from harsh cold temperatures overnight. Cars are made from aluminum which does not effectively insulate and will not provide a comfortable temperature for overnight sleeping.
Also, tents are often smaller than cars and do not take as much time to warm up. It is easier for the heat to be retained inside a tent than it is in a car. While sleeping inside a car will guarantee you protection from the wind and rain, you will not be as warm as you would be sleeping in a tent.
Taking a quick nap in your car is the right thing to do if you are feeling tired behind the wheel, but always be mindful of using the AC. In this article, we covered in detail the risks of sleeping in a car with the AC running and we also highlighted the damage leaving the AC on can do to your car.
We hope you have found this article useful and you now feel equipped with all the knowledge you need to sleep safely in your car.
