17 RV Driving Security Suggestions for Newbies

Whether or not you will have a motorhome or a towable RV, driving is usually a daunting expertise for brand spanking new RV house owners, particularly should you select a bigger mannequin. Nonetheless, with observe and persistence, you’ll be a professional at navigating parking tons, gasoline stations, and slim campsites very quickly.

Listed below are 17 RV driving security ideas for inexperienced persons that can assist you keep secure in your RV journey.

Tip #1: Make Certain You’re Authorized

The excellent news is that virtually anybody with a non-commercial class C license can drive an RV. Nonetheless, there are particular exceptions relying on RV dimension and weight, in addition to the state you register your RV in. 

There’s not an excessive amount of to be involved about right here, however it’s all the time good to make sure you’re on the suitable aspect of the regulation earlier than driving an RV. So right here’s a solution to a vital query: Do You Want a Particular License to Drive an RV?

Tip #2: Be Conscious of Your RV’s Dimension

Most RVs are a lot bigger than passenger autos. Consequently, they require concerns of issues like peak clearance and turning radius. Know your RV’s peak earlier than you begin driving to keep away from low bridges or underpasses. 

We’ll talk about the significance of huge turns later, however your RV’s dimension can also be essential for campsite choice. Don’t assume an RV resort has websites that may accommodate your RV – name forward and ensure. 

Lastly, realizing your RV’s weight might be essential when touring on roads with weight restrictions. Bigger motorhomes and journey trailers will not be permitted on roads that may’t deal with their weight. 

Tip #3: Get Used to Vast Turns

Talking of maneuverability, you’ll must take wider turns – no matter your RV’s dimension. That is significantly true of proper turns since you’ll be up in opposition to the curb. A pointy flip may discover your rear tires up on the curb or monitoring over somebody’s garden.

You should additionally keep in your individual lane to keep away from a collision, so merely pull out farther into the intersection earlier than beginning the flip. Watch your rear-view mirrors, hold as near the middle lane as you may, and pay attention to impatient drivers who might attempt to zip round you.

Tip #4: Drive Gradual

When driving an RV or towing a camper, you shouldn’t really feel a necessity for velocity. Take your time and benefit from the journey. Driving an RV too quick considerably will increase the chance of accidents. 

With that form of weight behind you, braking requires extra time. So that you’ll want extra distance between you and the autos in entrance of you. You’ll additionally want to keep up extra consciousness to present your self time to react while you see brake lights forward. 

RVs are additionally extra vulnerable to crosswinds (winds blowing perpendicular to your RV’s path of journey) than passenger autos. When encountered, slowing down will cut back their propensity to blow your RV round. 

Lastly, slowing down will assist save the ache on the gasoline pump. Decreasing your freeway cruising velocity from 75 mph to 55 mph can cut back gas consumption by as a lot as 20 p.c.

Tip #5: Follow in a Secure Place

Take a while to observe turning together with your RV earlier than you head out on a street journey. Discover a huge empty parking zone or a mud area and put out some cones to observe maneuvering and parking. Arrange situations the place you’re pulling right into a campsite ahead or in reverse. 

Most significantly, don’t hesitate to ask for assist or join a driving course. There’s no substitute for observe and expertise, however taking an RV driving course to study your RV and its limitations will guarantee safer street journeys sooner or later.

Tip #6: Plan Routes and Fuel Stops in Advance

Final-minute maneuvers are harmful when driving a passenger car. They are often downright reckless when driving a motorhome or towable RV. It is best to know your instructions effectively upfront to keep away from late lane modifications that put your self and others in danger. 

That can assist you plan forward, take into account investing in an RV GPS unit. Many nicer fashions offer you verbal and visible cues to maintain you in your desired route. Plus, you gained’t be capable of get offended together with your co-pilot when she or he leads you astray – you’ll each simply be cross together with your GPS.

Whereas potential routes, take into account maneuverability, low bridges, and different restrictions. Will your route take you thru a busy metropolis? Merging and yielding require persistence. Driving in heavy visitors means you could pay attention to autos round you, particularly in blind spots.

Lastly, even getting gasoline is usually a little difficult. Make sure you select a gasoline station with loads of room for maneuvering across the pumps and parking areas. 

Turn into a Good Sam Member to take pleasure in gasoline and diesel reductions at RV-accessible Pilot Flying J places throughout the US and Canada.

Tip #7: Maintain Up with RV Upkeep

A well-maintained RV or tow car is a secure car. Make sure you sustain with the preventive upkeep and conduct common inspections of your RV programs, particularly these that may trigger an accident whereas touring.

Obtain Tenting World’s Reference Handbook to trace your RV’s upkeep schedule. 

Make a pre-trip guidelines, and do an inspection of this stuff each time you get behind the wheel:

• Belts and hoses (examine for cracking)
• Headlights, flip sign, tail lights
• Hitch or towing tools
• Tires for the proper air stress and enough tread depth

Take pleasure in extra sources that can assist you preserve your RV on the street and in storage.

Tip #8: Take Care of Your RV Tires

Tire blowouts are one of many main causes of RV accidents. They are often attributable to improper inflation, put on and tear, or overloading. Let’s deal with every of those points briefly. 

Tires have to be inflated to the producer’s advisable air stress – measured in kilos per sq. inch (PSI). One of many best methods to watch your tire stress is to put in a tire stress monitoring system (TPMS). 

You possibly can study extra about these programs at Tenting World.

You’ll additionally must examine the tire situation and tread depth earlier than and after every RV journey. Examine your tire producer’s suggestion for minimal tread depth to find out when it’s time to alter your RV tires. When checking sidewall situation, search for cracks and bulges, as they might additionally require altering your tires.

Generally tires get probably the most put on and tear while you’re not even utilizing your RV. This is the reason it’s essential to make use of tire covers and preserve your RV tires correctly whereas in storage. Avoiding extended publicity to the weather is likely one of the greatest methods to maximise the lifetime of your RV tires.

Be taught extra about RV and trailer tires to maintain your street journeys rolling easily.

Tip #9: Load Your RV Correctly

Each unit has a most cargo carrying capability (CCC) that shouldn’t be exceeded. You additionally must load your RV to distribute the burden correctly. The video above will provide help to load your journey trailer correctly, however listed here are a number of extra sources: 

Tip #10: Pay Consideration to the Climate

One other frequent explanation for RV accidents is driving in poor climate. Rain, fog, ice, and particularly excessive winds make RV driving treacherous. Plan your journey to keep away from unhealthy climate, and all the time think about further time for delays within the occasion of unexpected storms.

Should you’re on the street and harmful climate arises, pull over right into a relaxation cease or on the subsequent exit. Please notice that within the occasion of excessive winds, there’s merely no higher possibility than getting off the street and ready.

Maintain an eye fixed out for particles and downed energy strains while you get again on the street after a storm, and keep away from standing water on low-lying roadways. You possibly can’t inform how deep it’s, and the chance of discovering out the onerous method isn’t well worth the potential reward.

Tip #11: Use a Spotter When Backing Up

Certain, you’ll must get inventive should you’re touring solo, however utilizing a spotter when backing up your RV is all the time a good suggestion. In fact, your spotter must know how one can information an RV, which is why we’ve offered the video above. 

Even in case you have a rearview digicam or a class B RV with 360° cameras for simple maneuvering, a spotter can see issues you may’t while you’re behind the wheel. When unsure, shift your RV into Park and get out to examine your environment. 

It’s all the time value taking the additional time to double-check versus the choice. However should you didn’t double-check and also you had an accident, consequently, contact a Tenting World Service Middle to get your RV mounted up and again on the street.

Tip #12: Know RV Highway Restrictions and Rules

Sadly, motorhomes and towable RVs aren’t welcome on all roadways within the US. Failing to know the foundations for RV journey in your route can result in a pricey detour that wastes money and time – and may trigger security hazards should you wind up pushing to get to your vacation spot at nighttime. 

Analysis RV Guidelines, Rules, and Highway Restrictions within the US.

Tip #13: Use a Weight Distribution Hitch (for Journey Trailers)

This tip is for these which are new to pulling a journey trailer. Should you haven’t already bought a trailer, begin by consulting our Towing Information to know the way a lot your car can tow safely. 

From there, it is best to know why a weight distribution hitch is so essential. It transfers the burden of your trailer extra evenly throughout each axles of your tow car. Doing so reduces trailer sway, ranges your trailer, and permits you to tow extra effectively. 

With out a weight distribution hitch, you’ll expertise much less steady towing, resulting in an elevated threat of accidents. Towing and not using a weight distribution hitch can even enhance driver fatigue since you’ll combat in opposition to sway and bounce to maintain your trailer safely on the street.

As soon as it’s put in, discover ways to alter a weight distribution hitch.

Tip #14: Drive a Affordable Mileage Every Day

Over time, all RVers develop their very own “guidelines” or preferences for a way they journey. For inexperienced persons, many RVers advocate the two/2/2 rule: 

1. Don’t journey greater than 200 miles per day. 
2. Cease each two hours. 
3. Arrive at your vacation spot by 2:00 pm. 

Some add “Keep for no less than two nights” to this record, and others adapt this record to develop into the three/3/3 rule – merely exchange each two above with a 3, and also you’ll have the thought. 

In the end, the important thing to this tip is to keep away from driving when drained and to present your self loads of time to arrange camp and loosen up while you arrive at your vacation spot. In fact, you may adapt your “guidelines” when you achieve extra expertise. 

Tip #15: Use Your Engine to Gradual Down on Steep Grades

There’s arguably nothing scarier than the odor of burning brakes while you’re descending out of the mountains. The primary thought that all the time goes via my thoughts is, “Gosh, I hope these aren’t mine!”

Safely navigating grades whereas towing requires using your engine to maintain your velocity in examine. Downshifting early and pumping your brakes usually will hold you from continually using them, which will increase the chance of burning them up.

Tip #16: Carry the Proper RV Emergency Necessities

Irrespective of how a lot preparation and care you train when journey planning and driving, all RVers know which you can’t management all the things that occurs on the street. You possibly can management whether or not or not you will have the instruments to deal with emergencies once they happen. 

Stocking up your RV with emergency necessities is likely one of the first issues it is best to do while you hit the street. In fact, you’ll want different equipment like sewer and water hoses, wheel chocks, and different necessities for first-time RV street journeys. 

Don’t neglect the emergency necessities that shall be essential to getting your journey again on monitor if you end up caught on the aspect of the street.

Take a look at this record of 21 Emergency Necessities for RV Homeowners.

Tip #17: Put money into a Roadside Help Plan

Except you’re a educated RV technician, even the most effective emergency roadside package gained’t provide help to clear up each downside you could possibly encounter. Whenever you’ve exhausted your power or experience, it’s comforting to know you may name for roadside help to get you again on the street. 

Good Sam’s RV Roadside Help plans provide limitless distance towing to the closest service heart within the US or Canada, flat tire restore, battery jumpstart service, emergency gas supply, and extra.

Evaluate Good Sam Roadside Help Plans on your RV.

As well as, listed here are a number of extra ideas that can assist you journey safely in your RV:  

• NEVER drive an RV when impaired by medication or alcohol. 
• Keep away from driving when drained. 
• Don’t function your cellphone when driving an RV.

Do you will have any RV driving ideas you suppose ought to be added right here? Depart a remark beneath. 

Julie and her husband Sean began touring of their RV full-time 4 years in the past after they every served 20 years within the US Air Pressure. Having lived in additional than 10 states and 4 nations, the Chickerys determined it was time to take pleasure in the remainder of the USA. They handle Chickery’s Travels, an academic and inspirational weblog and YouTube channel aimed toward serving to individuals understand their full-time journey goals.