Tips and Tricks

RV Travel Safety Tips

If you are going to be traveling with an RV, it is important to be aware of what you can do to create a safe environment for yourself, those you are traveling with, and people on the road around you. These travel safety tips were put together specifically to help you be prepared for anything during your RV road trip so that you can enjoy every last minute of your journey.

Check Your Tires!

According to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Department of Transportation, many accidents happen each year due to bad tires. Accidents that occur due to bad tires can be avoided when you prepare well and use the right tools. Making sure that your tires are in good shape is particularly important when pulling something as large as an RV. Using a tire pressure monitoring system will be very helpful for constantly monitoring that your tires are in good shape and ready for travel. These systems will monitor the pressure in your tires from inside your vehicle as you are traveling. They are 100% worth the investment!

Reflective Safety Equipment

If you ever need to pull over and get out of your vehicle on a busy highway, you will want to have a reflective safety vest available to put on and wear. These vests are important because they increase the ability of drivers that pass by to see where you are and get out of your way. Many deaths have happened from people getting out of their car on the highway to check a tire or other problem, them a car passing by doesn’t see them and the pedestrian is hit and killed. Going the extra mile and putting out reflective safety cones by your car is another great way to indicate to drivers that there is a problem and they should give you more room.

Use an Anti-Sway Bar

It has been said that the number one cause of RV accidents is sway. When you are out on the road traveling, you want to do everything possible to stay in control of your vehicle. This can become difficult when the wind picks up, causing your trailer to sway back and forth. To avoid the sway of your trailer to get out of control, a helpful tool has been created called an anti-sway bar or a friction sway control bar. By connecting this bar to the hitch of your truck and RV, the likelihood of you getting in an accident due to too much sway is greatly decreased.

Do Not Stand Between a Moving Vehicle and a Solid Object

Though this may seem obvious, it is easy to forget or not even think about when you are helping someone back in. This is important to pay attention to because serious injuries can be caused if you are pinned between a vehicle and a solid object such as a picnic table or tree. Be cautious to stand off to the side or be aware of your surroundings at all times when helping someone back up.