RV industry data showing ownership at a record high, with almost a third new owners, sparked Erie Insurance to reveal tips for road tripping in an RV compared with a car.
The insurance company noted RVIA data that showed a 62% spike in RV ownership over the past 20 years. A record 11.2 million households now own a unit, with 31% being first-timers.
“With so many people hitting the road in RVs for the first time, we want to make sure they are prepared,” said Jon Bloom, Erie Insurance VP of personal auto. “I know from personal experience that an RV is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and connect with friends and family, but it is a lot different than taking a road trip in a car. We want to help people enjoy their trip and protect the investment they have made in their RV.”
Bloom revealed his top tips to ensure safety while RV traveling:
- Drivability:Spend some time practicing driving an RV in a safe place away from traffic, such as in an empty parking lot. Leave a lot of room for wide turns. Maintain a proper distance from other vehicles knowing that it may take longer than usual to slow down or speed up.
- Visibility:Be extra cautious knowing that if a car is following too closely behind your RV, you may not see it. Motorcycles can be especially hard to see depending on where and how close they are to your vehicle.
- Maintenance: Put an RV on a monthly, seasonal and yearly maintenance schedule to lessen the chance of a breakdown, equipment failure or other malfunction happening while on a trip. Know that it may be more difficult to access specialized RV roadside assistance in more remote locations.
- Getting around and gassing up: Consider towing a vehicle behind the RV to park the unit at a campsite and use the car to get around. Plot trips on a map to know locations not only of campgrounds that accommodate RVs, but also of rest stops big enough to get into to fuel up an RV.
- Insurance: Many people choose “umbrella” coverage as an extra layer of protection on top of their existing auto, RV or home insurance. Because RV accidents could be more severe given the weight of the vehicle, umbrella may be especially helpful for RVers.
Erie Insurance offers a blog post – “So You Want to Buy an RV” – to provide more information for prospective RV buyers
