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Wife and I road tripped to Tucson (~1,000 miles each way) in March and Taos (~600 miles each way) last week. Wife and daughter drove to San Diego in May (>1,300 miles). We/they took our time, stopped at every kind of gas station and rest area and had zero issues. We've road tripped a bunch to Colorado, Florida and North Carolina over the years and typically stop wherever the need arises when it's daylight, but stick to busy "gas and food plazas" and well-lit gas stations at night.

When our kids were small, we still felt ok stopping at rest areas, especially "Welcome stations" that were well lit and well maintained. If wife or I was traveling with only the kids (one adult only), I know that I avoided rest stops where I could not escort our daughter closely.

IMO, stay away from generic rest stops at night, trust your gut, and carry just in case.