Are you safety conscious with your RV rental in Columbus?
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk
The first thing that comes to mind when taking any sort of holiday is remaining safe while away and how to travel to ensure the optimum security to avoid accidents.
That’s especially true when picking up an RV rental in Columbus. While the owner is responsible for inspections, maintenance, and repair of defects, the renter will be liable for any damages while the recreational vehicle is in their possession.
It might not cross your mind when daydreaming about the lovely scenes you’ll bear witness to or the activities you have planned along the way. Your plan and intention are to make the excursion one you won’t soon forget.
While it’s beneficial to have an exuberant outlook, it’s also essential to have a sense of preparedness for emergencies and if there were to be an accident. Without precautions in line, there could be severe repercussions.
Let’s look at a few of the common reasons for RV collisions and how to prevent these. There’s the possibility this information could guide you to select a different sort of camper or motorhome based on the drivability.
Are you safety conscious with your RV rental in Columbus?
The suggestion is that recreational vehicle accidents are few and far between compared to auto accidents, with roughly 80,000 in a year being relative, much fewer than autos. However, RV collisions are typically more dangerous due to their weight and size.
An auto would come with seatbelts, airbags, and other safety features allowing protection for the driver if there were to be a fall over an embankment. In the same scenario, the rear passengers have no access to airbags, plus they are exposed to items flying throughout the compartment.
This can be exceptionally dangerous with options like the travel trailer and the fifth wheel. Autos are more structurally solid compared to the RV meaning the recreational vehicle will experience much irreparable damage to the vehicle owner’s detriment. Learn a few RV safety tips at https://www.adventuretouring.com/rvs/rv-rental-safety-tips/. Some causes of these accidents include:
Tired driving
Everyone is well aware you should never get behind the wheel of any vehicle when tired. Your alertness is impaired, impeding the overall safety of you and those around you. The ideal scenario, especially when driving a rental RV, is to pull over for the night or request an additional day at the campsite to rest up.
Driving an auto for long distances can be draining, but operating a large-capacity vehicle or towing an RV takes much more time, attention, and energy. If you become sleepy, look for a rest area or pull over and walk around to get energized until you can find a place to stop safely.
Wind conditions
Strong wind conditions will affect driving in a motorhome or camper more so than if you were driving a standard auto. It could begin to sway back and forth, particularly if you have a tow behind, causing you to swerve into the wrong lane or accidentally overcorrect, ultimately flipping the vehicle.
Trucks and trailers are given their own speed limit as a guideline meant to keep them safe from harm. Lightweight vehicles can often be ideal in good conditions, but in windy situations, it can be perilous for the driver with the potential for going off the road.
Weighed down
In that same vein, an overweight RV in heavy winds can also be disastrous. When the RV is weighed down, there is a more significant strain on the chassis or the towing vehicle with the potential for a tire blowing or damage to the rig.
An overloaded motorhome will need to work harder under these conditions creating the possibility for problems related to the transmissions, the braking system, or the engine.
The tire blowing out is the least you’ll have to worry about when you have a heavy load. The most severe issue is irreparable damages causing hazardous conditions for you and other people on the roadway.
Blind spots
Autos are not as long or wide as recreational vehicles. When fitted with adequate mirrors, there are still specific spots around the RV that are challenging to see.
Not having a backup camera makes seeing behind the vehicle impossible, and other drivers are not always accommodating to tractor-trailers or RVers when driving along the interstate highways.
That means someone switching lanes, going back and forth, can easily fall within the blind spots.
Final thought
When picking up your rental RV in Columbus, it’s essential to ensure the vehicle received the appropriate inspection to detect any potential safety hazards and that these were repaired.
You should ensure everything is functional before leaving the lot and make sure there are adequate safety features to avoid being the victim of criminal activity while on the road. Look here for tips on remaining safe on the road.
Aside from standard precautions like these, drivers need to take personal responsibility by adhering to standard road rules. That means avoiding driving when intoxicated or under the influence of illicit drugs or medications that render you incapable of operating a vehicle safely.
You should avoid using a mobile or texting while operating the RV. Plus, take the opportunity to practice before getting on the road. A lot of time, driver error is the primary cause of accidents.
You can prevent that by taking the time to learn the vehicle. These tips will ensure you enjoy a safe, secure, and pleasant RV rental experience.