Top Driving Tips to avoid RV Accidents
RVs are high-profile vehicles and are intentionally designed to offer the biggest possible living space with the lightest possible weight. As a result, RVs are susceptible to heavy damage from wind gusts and stationary objects when they are involved in RV accidents.
Many RV accidents can be avoided with simple defensive driving techniques. Generally, you always want to drive slow and steady in an RV: tailgating, sudden lane changes, over-steering, speeding or weaving in and out of traffic can all dramatically increase the risk of an RV accident.
How to handle an RV in high winds, heavy traffic, backing up and turning corners:
- Wind resistance: an unexpectedly large gust of wind can grab a trailer and drag it and the car right off the road or roll it over onto its side! While driving through heavy wind, drivers should slow down to a very slow speed and pull over to a sheltered spot such as an overpass or truck stop until the wind subsides. Park pointed directly into the wind.
- Turning radius: it takes practice to get used to the turning radius of an RV; the most common error is turning too soon. Drivers are risking clipping the rear corner of the trailer on a stationary object such as a tree or cement post and causing a lot of damage to their trailer.
- If your RV didn’t come with side mirrors, install them.
- If you can’t see all the way around your RV with your mirrors then assume that there is something in the way. Get out and check (even if it takes multiple times) before backing up.
- Use a spotter if possible but make sure that you fully understand their instructions before moving.
How to park and back your RV into a tight spot:
- Practice parking your RV in an empty parking lot before setting out on your first road trip.
- Setup cones to create a space to practice pulling into.
- Test blind-side parking. When backing into a parking spot, your passenger side becomes a blind-side at a certain point in the turn when the tow vehicle is no longer in a straight line with the trailer. Adjust your mirrors as you turn to reduce the amount of time that you have a blind-spot.
- Make good use of your side-mirrors.
- Stop moving if you cannot see all around the RV. Get out yourself or use a spotter for help.
- Avoid parking lots that don’t have a second exit, are overly crowded or have tiny parking spots.
- Avoid driving down aisles of parked cars to find a spot because you will likely end up needing to make a sharp turn at the end of the aisle.
If you were involved in an RV accident, contact a personal injury lawyer experienced in car accidents today! They will fight the insurance company for the best possible settlement.
If you or a loved is dealing with an accident or injury, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
