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HappyCCRVr · 03-28-2012, 02:44 PM

RV Crash Deaths Under Investigation | www.kirotv.com

How does the Country Coach fit into this issue? I've seen some nasty accidents on the internet, but this has me a little more concerned...

How do other coach owners feel about this?
Perhaps this would fit better into the Class A forums?
but also may be relevant when buyers are asking "what type of RV should I get?"

Hopefully somebody will calm my anxiety a bit, just heading into the long ride home..... TIA

Wizard · 03-28-2012, 02:52 PM

I wonder how the number of fatal motorhome crashes would stack up against the number of fatal car crashes.

Kind of like airplane crashes, spectacular when it happens, lots of fatalities per crash but very few crashes.

Won't make me stop driving mine, seeing a crash may make me be a little more careful.

HappyCCRVr · 03-28-2012, 02:58 PM

My concern is, Wizard, that we are not always in control. With all these drivers still texting and talking on their cell phones, I think we are in more jeopardy these days than a few decades back. Surprising the statement at the end regarding not enough fatalities to warrant crash tests with dummies - how many fatalities would qualify. I'm of the mind that if it happens to ME, the statistics are irrelevant.
I suppose it would be a very expensive undertaking in all aspects.

Ramblin · 03-28-2012, 02:58 PM

My coach didn't come with any sort of safety rating, and I didn't think it did when I bought it. No question if you flip it on its roof, it won't support the weight of the chassis and you're gonna have a bad day. I can't imagine what it would take to build a frame that would, and I can't afford the cost of that frame.

So, here's your anxiety calmer: don't drive like an idiot like that poor sap in the article did, because if you do, your coach won't protect you when you crash it.

You have to focus on those things YOU control, and not stress out about those things you can't. If you can't do that, might as well stay home and wrap yourself with bubble wrap and lock yourself in the bathroom.

Stay focused, drive safe, have fun.

HappyCCRVr · 03-28-2012, 03:07 PM

Good advice thanks Ramblin. That's a motto I pretty much live by anyways.
Stay focussed, drive safe, have fun. I like that.

Papawto5 · 03-28-2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramblin

My coach didn't come with any sort of safety rating, and I didn't think it did when I bought it. No question if you flip it on its roof, it won't support the weight of the chassis and you're gonna have a bad day. I can't imagine what it would take to build a frame that would, and I can't afford the cost of that frame.

So, here's your anxiety calmer: don't drive like an idiot like that poor sap in the article did, because if you do, your coach won't protect you when you crash it.

You have to focus on those things YOU control, and not stress out about those things you can't. If you can't do that, might as well stay home and wrap yourself with bubble wrap and lock yourself in the bathroom.

Stay focused, drive safe, have fun.

well said

DRL1950 · 03-28-2012, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramblin

My coach didn't come with any sort of safety rating, and I didn't think it did when I bought it. No question if you flip it on its roof, it won't support the weight of the chassis and you're gonna have a bad day. I can't imagine what it would take to build a frame that would, and I can't afford the cost of that frame.

So, here's your anxiety calmer: don't drive like an idiot like that poor sap in the article did, because if you do, your coach won't protect you when you crash it.

You have to focus on those things YOU control, and not stress out about those things you can't. If you can't do that, might as well stay home and wrap yourself with bubble wrap and lock yourself in the bathroom.

Stay focused, drive safe, have fun.

Couldn't say it better myself.

mythplaced · 03-28-2012, 04:05 PM

Old article...Thursday, Jan. 22, 2009

But as an owner of an Alpine, I like hearing what Western RV said!

W4MBG · 03-28-2012, 04:09 PM

i've been eating too much. gotta order more bubble wrap!

Aguyfromcalg · 03-28-2012, 04:16 PM

The only type of RVs that have any kind of crash rating that I'm aware of are the cab areas of the class b, c and super c.

JMonroe · 03-28-2012, 05:40 PM

I for one don't want the government getting involved. Sure, they could build an indestructible RV. If built out of relatively inexpensive materials you'd need 1000 hp just to move it down the road. If you made it out of light weight "space age" materials you'd need $1,000,000 to buy the least expensive Winnebago.

To paraphrase Wizard, it's catastrophic when it happens, but it just doesn't happen that often (statistically). As Ramblin suggests, concentrate on what you can control and hope for the best. Drive with your senses fully engaged, drive defensively. Life is fraught with potential danger, and I think it would be hard to breath through all that bubble wrap.

Pigman1 · 03-28-2012, 06:47 PM

Wizard has it right. There are very few RV crashes when compared to the total motor vehicle crashes in the US. Same with injuries and fatalities. You can cut these any way you want, by miles traveled, hours on the road, number of vehicles or just about any other statistical way to present the data. Given that situation, there is little drive to develop any uniform standards RV safety. Federal motor vehicle safety standards do not exist for these vehicles. The first step would be for the Feds to start to develop some, hopefully using industry input, consumer concerns and the best engineering minds available. The standards must be effective, practical and economically valid, or there will be no RV industry, NONE. Then these standards would be published for public comment, the comments incorporated or rejected, and then the standards issued. The industry would have a number of years to modify it's designs, do the necessary testing to prove they met the published standards, and maintain a viable market. The cost to crash test a vehicle goes way beyond the cost of a vehicle. As an example, an individual seating position in the chassis would have to be tested with all categories of crash dummies. This would go from heavyweight tall to lightweight small to teens to children to babies. All testing to be paid for by the manufacturers. Then do it again, and again, and again, ...for each possible seating position. Oh yeah, dont forget, we need to do frontal crashes, diagonal crashes, side crashes, rear crashes rollover crashes, etc., etc., etc..

Sorry, but it just isn't going to happen. Ramblin has the best solution. Testing is not going to happen in your or my lifetimes.

Just for your info, I was a registered Safety Engineer before I took up the trav'lin' life.

Mac99 · 03-28-2012, 07:18 PM

100 people a day die in car crashes. Cars have a zillion safety standards.

Rednax · 03-28-2012, 07:44 PM

A 1980's BLUEBIRD Wanderlodge is about the only moho that is rated for rollover occupant protection. Some are even rebuilt if its not terrible. (Schoolbus rating)