RV Safety Tips

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Car Accidents

When the winter doldrums hit, it can be the best time to take a vacation. For Americans who own RVs, winter could be the best time to head out on the open road—while it may seem counter-intuitive, RV trips can be a great winter pastime because the roads tend to be less busy.Those who do take to the roads, need to remember to take RV safety into consideration.

As with any type of vehicle, however, RVs have a specific list of safety precautions about which all divers should be aware. RVs, for example, tend to have larger blind spots than other vehicles, and are more likely to be hauling cargo that has a tendency to be unsecured, such as bicycles and other types of sports equipment. As with any vehicle, no one should ever drive an RV if he has been drinking. Risks are sometimes compounded with RVs, as drivers tend to be “at home” in the vehicle—one reason drunk driving is often associated with RV drivers.

According to RV Life, there is a common misconception among RV drivers that driving too slowly on highways is more likely to lead to accidents than driving with the speed of traffic. This is not the case. One highway patrol captain told RV Life that all the statistics regarding accidents point to the fact that drivers should actually slow down. Regardless, RVs, of course, are larger vehicles and tend to be slower than other smaller cars on the road; RV owners will naturally find themselves lagging behind traffic.

On multi-lane highways, the easiest way to avoid an accident due to this is to stay in the right lane. On two-lane highways, which comprise much of the scenic byways of the U.S.—roads likely taken on an RV vacation—this can be much trickier. It is safest to pull onto the shoulder of these roads to allow other cars to pass. You do not need to do this every time a car gets stuck behind you, but once traffic starts to pile up and there is a string of three to four vehicles, it would be wiser and safer to pull over and allow these vehicles to pass.

If you or someone you know was injured in an RV accident, the most important step is to seek legal counsel. Do not go through it alone. Contact an experienced Chicago motor vehicle accident attorney today.