RV Safety Driving Tips {Recreational Vehicle}
Post Last Modified – November 14, 2023 ¦ gr8traveltips.com
Helpful RV Safety Driving Tips For Recreational Vehicle Travel
Table of Contents
Having spent many years on the road as a professional driver and also as the owner of a 🚌 Recreational Vehicle, I thought it important to share some basic …
My entire career was spent on city roads and highways both as a; 🚛 semi-truck driver, 🚍 charter bus driver, 👨 truck driving instructor and a full career as a 🏍 motorcycle police officer.
I’ve had the opportunity to take extensive driver training courses over the years. I’ve logged countless hours of driving for a living for many years. So, I thought it would be helpful to pass on a few tips, for those of you who may be heading out on an RV road trip.
These tips are to help ensure your travels are as safe as they possibly can be on the road!
Recreational Vehicle Handling & Driving Tips
For many of us, packing up the motor home and getting ready for holidays, only happens for a couple of weeks of the year. We only really experience driving these {oversize recreational vehicles}, for just those few precious weeks each year.
As a result, we’re not always that comfortable driving these 🚍 big rigs, especially when starting off at the beginning of the season. Having said that, we all need to take extra care and precautions along the way.
Just like my previous articles I’ve written here on …
as well as buffet dining etiquette, there really should be a certain amount of driving etiquette as well.
A little common sense and courtesy in how we treat our fellow drivers, can go a long way in making our roads safer for everyone. It also makes road travel, a much more enjoyable experience at the same time. 🙂
Helpful Recreational Vehicle Safety Driving Tips
The commercial truck I drove on British Columbia and Alberta 🍁 Canada Highways
With over 35 years experience driving Highway Charter Bus, City Transit Bus and Transport Trucks, I am proud to say that I have never been involved in a motor vehicle collision.
I’ve also never been stopped for any motor vehicle infractions, such as typical 🚔 speeding offense.
This I know for a fact, is largely due to the numerous and extensive driving training courses, that I have taken over the years. I have always practiced safe driving, even when I first started as a teenager.
I have received numerous safe driving awards which I proudly display on the walls of my home office. My most recent accomplishment a few seasons ago, was becoming a professional truck driving instructor in British Columbia.
In my experience, I have found that drivers who are aggressive, in a hurry and who are not courteous of others, are those we see involved in crashes most of the time. These drivers many times, are also the ones who are been stopped by 🚓 police, for one reason or another on our roads.
This includes commercial drivers as well.
If we would all slow down, relax and enjoy the drive, our highways would be so much safer as a result.
Below, I have added a few tips on driving safety in general and especially for those driving their 🚌 larger campers and motor homes on our busy 🛣 highways. These are simple, yet effective safe driving tips that can be helpful for all drivers.
Common sense road safety, that saves lives!
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First Five Important Safety Driving Tips:
✔If you find yourself holding up a line of traffic on the highway, pull over and let them by;
✔Always be aware of others around you, especially behind you;
✔Check your rear view mirrors often;
✔Share the road, never assume it is yours to do as you wish;
✔For tourists, take your time, plan your trip and enjoy the drive.
Slow Down – Take Your Time
RV Safety Driving Tips #1
Beautiful Lake Louise in Alberta Canada
❓ Take Your Time – What’s the Rush ❓
Perhaps the most important of all the tips I can offer and what I have previously mentioned is simply to;Slow Down!
I drove 🚚 transport truck in Canada between within the Provinces of; British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. These stretches of highway become extremely busy in the summer months..
Our highways in the 🏔 Canadian Rockies can be really congested with extra vacation traffic during peak summer months. Literally thousands of people are driving {rented or self-owned recreational vehicles}, on this very popular scenic route in 🍁 Canada.
The route through the Canadian Rockies is simply breathtaking with its amazing beauty!
It’s vacation time, slow down, relax and enjoy the drive!
Here’s one thing I find very puzzling and have for many years now.
This is the amount of people I see, driving their motor homes and who may also be ️ towing a boat and/ or car behind them, who are speeding along this beautiful stretch of highway.
The scenery is simply spectacular in this region!
Many have driven hundreds of miles if not more, to get here. Yet, I see them speeding on the 🛣 highway like they’ve seen a 👻 ghost!
As result of this aggressive driving behavior, I often see the trailers they are pulling, swinging side to side behind them. Believe it or not, I’ve witnessed near misses in sideswiping others along the way, with their trailers swaying about. 😕
I also see numerous {tires blown}, as a result of unnecessary speed and the ☀ summer heat conditions. More often than not, I see these rigs pulled over at the side of the road, having been stopped by 🚔 police for speeding ,or some other infraction.
Do Not Be An Aggressive Driver
RV Safety Driving Tips #2
✔Be courteous of other drivers around you;
✔Be patient and don’t get stressed with aggressive drivers, let them by;
✔Do not tailgate;
✔Drive defensively and never assume other drivers will obey traffic rules;
✔Stay out of the way of aggressive drivers and allow them to get past you.
Be A Courteous Driver
RV Safety Driving Tips #3
Relax – Drive Safely and Be Courteous
My next bit of driving tips to pass on to you, is to;Be Courteous of others on the road.
When driving a larger recreational vehicle on these highways, traffic can easily get backed up behind you. It’s important for you to take your time and drive as safely as you can. You certainly want to enjoy and take in all the beautiful scenery that surrounds you.
Thousands of visitors rent motor homes each season, who are visiting from other parts of the world. You may not be familiar with our North American highways, so it’s important to drive extra safely. Take your time and always be courteous of those around you.
For example, many of our highways in 🍁 Canada, are two lane highways only. This means that there is only one lane for travel in each direction. There are many sections of our mountainous regions in British Columbia and Alberta, that are one lane in each direction only.
Here Are A Few Things For Everyone To Keep In Mind On These Highways
✔Enjoy your drive and if you are bothered by another driver behind you, just allow that driver to pass;
✔Give yourself plenty of time for your journey;
✔If you are driving slower than the flow of traffic, do not stay in the left or fast lane;
✔Do not slam on your brakes if a car is tailgating you, move to the side and let him/her by;
✔Try to be courteous, even when other drivers are not.
At the same time however, it is important to be mindful of those behind you, who are wanting to get by.
In particular, 🚚 semi-trucks and 🚍 bus drivers who are working and on a tight schedule. These drivers need to pass and be on their way, as quickly and safely as they can. So it is important to pull off when safe to do so, and let the flow of traffic behind you get by.
I have practiced this for years now, especially when we travel in our motor home while out enjoying our vacations. It makes such a difference for the safety of everyone on the road, and your drive so much more relaxing and stress free at the same time!
I have received numerous waves of thanks from motorists as a result, for this simple driving courtesy.
Relax & Enjoy The Drive
RV Safety Driving Tips #4
Enjoy Your Road Trip And Be Safe
Recreational Vehicle driving and camping is a lot of fun. It’s a great way to vacation in many parts of the world. By using a few of these RV safety driving tips, travel in this manner can be; relaxing, enjoyable and most of all … Safe for Everyone!
The last on my list of safety driving tips list that I would like to share and something I see far too often is …
Do Not Over Pack Your Recreational Vehicle
RV Safety Driving Tips #5
This not only for; motor homes, campers, boats, trailers and so on, but for cars and vans as well.
I cannot tell you the amount of times I have seen all kinds vehicles and trailers, grossly overloaded. Many of them, to the point of extreme danger for everyone using the highway. 🙁
I have also experienced items not tied down securely, let loose and fly onto the highway. When you overload your camper or any other vehicle, the; handling, braking and safety aspect, all change dramatically.
When this happens, it becomes very unsafe for you and for those traveling around you!
Driving Safe Includes – Not Over Loading Your Recreational Vehicle
As a transport truck driver, we have to pull into {Commercial Vehicle Weigh Scales} often. This in order to be weighed and inspected routinely along the way, for that very reason.
You should always be aware of your maximum allowable {GVW}, or Gross Vehicle Weight. As well, know the maximum weights each axle on your vehicle or tow vehicle can handle. Safe drivers do take these extra precautions beforehand, to keep themselves and others safe at all times.
For up to date road reports, check online with webcams and more for the location you may be traveling to.
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Below, is just an example of a typical government website, offering updated road conditions in the Province of British Columbia. These are very useful sites to check out for the areas you may be traveling through.
This is especially so in the 🌨 winter months, with extreme weather conditions!
There you have it, just a few simple, yet effective driving tips to help make your travels on the road as safe as possible.
Update 2023
With this most unfortunate global pandemic experienced, more and more people have chosen to set out on the roads for their vacations. Campgrounds and RV Parks are busier than ever!
With this extra traffic on the roads, it’s even more important to drive carefully, to keep you and your family safe on the road.
😎 Safe and Healthy Travels!
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