Bad Crash From Blowout

[Old Navy]

A tragic loss indeed. Blessings to the family.

Another take-away lesson for us is to replace that overweight legacy TV over the passenger seat ASAP. It has been instrumental in other serious injuries in other elder coaches. That heavy load on one side acts to accelerate the cabinet failure.

[greystroke]

Unless my info is wrong the Max Speed of an RV tire is 75. Why push something beyond the design limit.

A few months ago I had a rear inside zipper blowout. I heard a pow and braced for the worst but I kept my foot on the accelerator not because it was the right thing to do but because for a split second I was shocked and confused. I slowed up and pulled off to check things out. There was a lot of traffic so I just took a quick glance underneath and did not see any thing so I proceeded about 10 miles down the road to a campsite.

After stopping I got underneath and I could see the zipper. No control problem. No tread seperation. 7 year old Michelin.

Thanks for the Video. It could save my life if I have a tread seperation. I shall keep it in my archives.

[JMonroe]

I don't own a DP, yet, so...

What would happen, in an emergency like this, if you hit that big yellow emergency brake button?

[RickO]

Originally Posted by JMonroe

I don't own a DP, yet, so...

What would happen, in an emergency like this, if you hit that big yellow emergency brake button?

I'm pretty sure it would immediately lock up the rear wheels. What would happen at that point is anyone's guess, depending on a lot of variables at the time.

[gjstacy]

OK, here is what I learned today from our SoCal trucking professional:

The tread did indeed separate, which is worse than a blowout, though the tire did eventually blow. It was the drivers' side front tire, so there would have been a lot of noise and immediate damage right under the driver, which would have been very startling for the driver.

He learned that the tires did appear to be the original tires, possibly making them 7 or 8 years old. Tread separation is a symptom of old tires. We don't know how many miles were on the tires. While we do know the brand, we will not post it as it is irrelevant.

Replacement of tires no later than at 5 years old is the best investment we can make to ensure our safety. We are lulled into complacency because we don't put many miles on each year (except you fulltimers), and the tires still have lots of tread. But, don't scrimp here, as it may well save a life.

It seems that speed may not have been a factor, as we've been able to learn that they were traveling uphill at the time of the accident. Therefore, to move around and as far as they did must mean there was another factor in play.

To answer the braking question, my expert tells me that you use the throttle until you have your coach under control. Once you are going straight down the road you can begin to slowly brake until you come to a stop.

Thats all the information I have now. If we learn more, we'll put an update here.

[Renipladlo]

Yes!!!! Terrible Accident!!!! I'm sorry it happened and hope she recovers.

About every 4-6 months I review the video posted above. I keep the link on my desktop of my PC, so I don't forget.

If she was going that fast, that was partly the reason, that speed the tires heat up to much, and tread failure is a distinct possibility. I don't go that fast unless I have to pass, then as soon as it's safe, I slow back down again.

Tire failure is most likely the single most expensive accident we can have in our RV's, aside from fire which is another subject we all should review.

A report by a Seattle, Washington, TV Station about RV safety, quoting that "Western Recreation Vehicles" cabinets don't fall off in a crash was one reason we bought this motorhome, either they were wrong, or forces not envisioned by the engineer went into play. Based on what I read, it sounds like the MH traveled several hundred yards before coming to rest, and I would have been scared as well.

Safe & Happy Camping - Check that air pressure-every week!!!!

[TXiceman]

So sorry to see something like this happen. But I think speed was an issue. Just because the speed limit is 75 mph (this is a legal maximum, providing road conditions are safe), doe not mean that you have to drive 75 mph. Personally, I feel 75 mph is too fast for an RV.

Ken

[Dale777]

I don't believe we can conclude that speed was the factor in the accident, based on the Highway Patrolman's comments:

"Hoby Metz, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt., said that the 2003 Alpine motorhome, pulling a Chev Avalanche pickup, was traveling southbound on Interstate-15, near mile marker 212.5, when the left front tire on the RV (Recreational Vehicle) failed and lost tread."

Later in the article, the Highway Patrolman was quoted:

"Metz said that speed was not a factor in the accident. The posted speed was 75 mph and that was the speed the vehicle was traveling."

We can only hope that the Highway Patrolman knew what he was talking about, when he stated that "... speed was not a factor in the accident."

However, I fully agree that 75 mph pulling a heavy toad might not be wise for some drivers in some driving conditions. Each driver should decide what is a safe speed for him/her under their own driving conditions. So, the cautions from some about speed is certainly warranted.

I'm saying all this because I wouldn't want the surviving wife, who was driving, her family, and the husband's family to think that we are critical of her without really knowing all the facts. I have great sympathy for her and the other family members.

[AFChap]

I'm pretty sure it would immediately lock up the rear wheels

The parking brake normally is not strong enough to lock up the rear wheels, but it would sharply reduce speed and unlike a foot on the brake pedal, the stopping power would continue regardless of what was going on with the driver. BUT, "hitting" the big yellow button would not do the job ...you have to be able to grab it and PULL it out ...PUSH to release, PULL to apply.

[Good man]

Many valid comments have been offered ...may I add this?...

While we are driving our RV down the road, for the most part there are few things over which we have absolute control.

Tires can fail, in spite of our attentiveness. Other vehicles can cross our path. Less likely mechanical failures like a steering rod shearing can occur. We can't see those things coming for the most part.

The ONE thing over which we CAN exercise the most control... Our rate of SPEED.
It is also the one thing which can have the most bearing on a host of other issues, including tire failure, loss of steering, the ability to stop "in time" and ultimately, how well we can recover from any incident.

It is incumbent upon us to use our good judgement and exercise CONTROL over the rig ...including how fast we CHOOSE to drive it.

My sympathies to this RV family on their loss and my best wishes for a speedy recovery of the injured. I know this lady's heart will be heavy and I hope I have said nothing which will burden her any further. We have all set the cruise control and assumed too much ...we should all learn from this.
Sincerely,
Jim

[EngineerMike]

I believe in saying that speed was not a factor, the patrolman is reducing his analysis to a legal conclusion. If the driver was over the speed limit, a ticket at least would have been contemplated and likely speed would have been cited as contributory to the accident. If you are driving the limit or less, there is a presumptive conclusion that the limit is safe so as far as speed you are also. Which is not to say you couldn't improve on the legal limit of safety. I carry an alarm which goes off somewhere between 45 and 65 depending on road conditions; her name is Ann.

This accident serves as a reminder that
1) stopping & maneuvering should always be in the driver's mind regardless,
2) tires get old, and uncomfortable stuff at least, dangerous at worst can happen w/old tires
3) tire inflation is a critical check that should never ever be ignored

[NorCal Hal]

There had to be some very heavy impacts and forces to tear out the cabinets, put something through the windshield and tear the generator slide and all out of the coach.

Harold

[two-niner]

"Speed not a factor"

Not many people realize between Salt Lake City and St George UT, there is a portion of I-15 where the speed limit is 85 miles per hour.

Driving the speed limit may not be wise. Draw your own conclusion.

Kerry

[Renipladlo]

Ladies & Gentlemen - Speed has a relation to mass which has a relation to stopping. Add to that, fear, panic, and some more fear and panic, and as we get older our ability to reason out what to do with that fear and panic, and I don’t know how any of us would have fared.

I wish at a rally we could have one of those "tracks where we could experience blow-outs, lost of steering control, and all the rest". This would help all us folks to at least experience a controlled version of what this poor lady went through in the space of less than 10 seconds. I don’t believe I would have done a lot better, and I am nearly 20 years younger than she. It is impossible for any of us to say how we would react, unless we have been through something like it. I for one have had only had one sort of blow out, and I smelled it before it happened, so I slowed down to 45. Had I been going faster, I could have turned over the truck I was driving, as it was the front right wheel. It scared me out of 7 years growth. Last year we were passed by a big rig and his left rear inside duel blew out, and it scared the little lady so bad I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital with her. It scared me too, even though I knew immediately what happened.

I check my AP, regularly, and always try to purchase the best tires money can buy. I also know, speed does have a bearing, any speed, on any road, under the right circumstances can kill you, or someone you love. 10 MPH is too fast if there is ice on the road, and it's a mountain pass!!!!!

Now as all my heart goes out to this lady and hope she recovers her health and peace of mind over her loss!!!!