Recreational vehicle safety

I am in the process of helping my senior parents shop for a new recreational vehicle because they recently sold their Class A RV. They sold it to get something smaller and safer.

It wasn't long ago that I saw a Class A motorhome that was involved in a collision on a highway and it really seemed like there was nothing left of it. It is shocking that these massive units are built with essentially no safety features installed.

At least Class B or C RSs have crumple zones, air bags and factor seats. As far as I know, the roll over protection for the occupants is usually cut out so that they can access the "house" part of the motorhome and I highly doubt any manufacturer is considering that when they build their units. If they did, you would hear and read about it when shopping and we didn't come across that once.

Can they be built safer? Certainly. Google “ambulance rollover testing" and you will see how strong some ambulance bodies are built and what they can survive. Compare those results to Class A RV rollovers and you will be shocked.

If you are in the market for a motorhome, please consider its safety, or lack thereof, before you make your purchase. At least with a trailer (5th wheel or bumper pull) you are driving a vehicle that is vigorously tested and has complete protection in case of a roll over or “T-bone” collision. Motorhome bodies are made of very thin wood, fiberglass and sheet metal.

As tempting as it might be to take your family on a vacation in a motorhome, please reconsider. They might be the least protective vehicles on our roads in Canada. Surviving anything other than a fender bender in those things seems unlikely.

Troy Gangl, Kelowna