Main Causes of RV Accidents

RVs are more difficult to drive than regular cars because of their sheer size and poor maneuverability issues. In many cases, these drivers are senior citizens that may have diminished eyesight, a hard time steering, or delayed response to certain driving conditions. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration reported that over 75,000 people have been injured in wrecks involving recreational vehicles and motor homes in 2012 alone.

Causes of Motor Home Accidents

There are the obvious causes: texting while driving and other forms of distracted driving, speeding, or drunk driving. But especially when it comes to RVs, travel trailers, or campers, there are the not-so-obvious causes, such as:

• Inexperienced Drivers
• Distracted Driving
• Overloading of passengers
• Towing other vehicles behind the motor home without a propper braking system
• Poor maintenance, including ABS brakes that fail or are not properly adjusted
• Unequal weight distribution or exceeding the allowable weight, causing poor handling and rollovers
• Hitch systems that are improperly set up, resulting in loose and run-away trailers or vehicles
• Insufficient training and experience on the part of the RV driver, causing the driver to overreact or drive unsafely
• RV drivers who do not stay aware of their surroundings may hit bicyclists, pedestrians, and smaller autos
• Impropper mirror adjustments and blind spots
• Driving too fast
• Pooly Calculated Turns

Remember, going too fast in a motor home is extremely dangerous, RV's take longer to stop and more space to turn than a car or van.
Tires are one of the leading causes of fatal accidents for RV's.  Check the tires before taking out on your trip, especially after the RV has been parked for a time.  While RVs are being driven, their tires are used at or near maximum loads during hot weather. While parked, RV tires are out of service for long periods of time.  How RV tires are stored or protected during extended stays can affect their condition and saftey on the road.