Question: Can a person park their camper/RV in the ditch of a highway? What about staying in a RV at a Minnesota rest area?
Answer: Leaving or parking a camper or travel trailer in the ditch or on any highway right-of-way is illegal. A highway right-of-way typically extends near the top of the outside slope. It would only be allowed where signs designate it as a campsite.
Commercial motor vehicle operators subject to hours of service regulations may stop and park continuously, for a period of up to 10 hours as necessary to comply with the hours of service regulations, at any MnDOT safety rest area or travel information center that has parking stalls designed to accommodate a commercial motor vehicle. All other motorists are permitted to stop at rest areas for up to four hours, where posted.
Rest areas are essential safety features on the highway system that help address driver fatigue, a major cause of serious crashes. Their basic service is crash prevention. Studies show that a 15 to 20 minute break improves individual performance, even among sleep-deprived people.
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.
If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester, Minn. 55901-5848. Or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.
Question: Can a state trooper write a traffic ticket for an infraction that they did not witness?
Answer: A peace officer may arrest or issue a citation for some traffic violations and a number of misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor offenses even if the officer didn’t witness it.
The traffic infractions include:
• Driving through columns of school children (within four hours)
• DWI
• Failure to stop at a railroad crossing (within four hours)
• Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle (within four hours)
• Railroad crossing violation (within four hours)
• School bus stop arm violations (within four hours)
• School cross walk violation (within four hours)
If you witness any of the above violations, please report it to your local law enforcement agency, and it will be investigated.
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.
If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester, Minn. 55901-5848. Or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.