What Are the Most Common Causes of RV Accidents?

Recreational vehicles (RVs) are a common fixture on the roadways throughout the United States. As the weather becomes warmer, and the summer months approach, these large vehicles will start to become even more prevalent on the road. Nationally, the trend of buying an RV has grown steadily, and many of these new owners have no idea how to safely drive these vehicles. While the idea of traveling with a home on wheels is appealing to many people, especially those who enjoy spending time on the road, the size of these RVs makes them a potential threat to all of the other vehicles around them. RV accidents can cause EXTREMELY SERIOUS, severe injuries to everyone involved.

In the event of an RV accident, understand your options. If you’re injured, contact the experienced team of RV accident lawyers and legal professionals of Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law. We can help you determine your legal options and get you the compensation you deserve. DON’T delay in speaking with a lawyer after an RV accident. Our intake department is available for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For a FREE consultation with one of our intake specialists, contact us online.

Frequent Causes of RV Accidents

RV accidents happen for many reasons. When a collision occurs, it is typically the smaller vehicle that incurs the largest amount of damage. By understanding the dangers that RVs present, you can proactively protect yourself from RV accidents.

Common causes of RV accidents include:

• Inexperienced RV drivers - Most people aren’t driving an RV every day. This is a recreational vehicle, for the most part—it is dedicated to weekend adventures and occasional road trips. Therefore, many people who drive an RV are not getting frequent practice operating such a large vehicle. Inexperienced drivers are DANGEROUS to everyone else on the road! Anyone unfamiliar with the dimensions and weight of the RV they are driving can misjudge how quickly they can take a turn. They might not know how much space they require to stop safely in traffic. They might also forget the size of their vehicles and sideswipe other cars when changing lanes. In short, any RV driver with little experience can cause a SERIOUS accident.
• Distracted driving - Driving while distracted (paying attention to anything besides the road) is a MAJOR issue throughout the United States. In fact, in 2016, nearly 400,000 people sustained injuries in accidents caused by distracted drivers. When RV drivers choose to engage in an activity that takes their eyes off the road, the stakes grow MUCH higher! If you see an RV swerving in and out of lanes, driving significantly faster or slower than the speed limit, or a glow emitting from the driver’s side at night that looks like a smartphone, BEWARE of a distracted driver. Make sure to put as much space between you and the distracted driver as possible. Consider pulling over and notifying the police.
• Dangerous road conditions - People in Houston know that weather conditions can change quickly and without warning. Many people who drive RVs will do the responsible thing and exit the road when the weather turns south. Others will continue to drive, even with poor visibility and slick roads. Given their sizes and weight, RVs are even more susceptible to dangerous conditions like rain and ice. They can hydroplane and lose control or slide into other lanes on slippery roads. This common cause of accidents can result in SERIOUS injuries for everyone involved.
• RV manufacturing defects - Even the safest drivers can suffer an accident if an essential part of their vehicle malfunctions. In this scenario, if the manufacturer of the RV produced an unsafe vehicle that caused an accident, it could face liability.
• Consumption of drugs or alcohol - Driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is both illegal and DANGEROUS. Still, some drivers ignore the danger and decide to operate their RVs anyway. If you believe you see an intoxicated driver, and/or someone driving dangerously, exit the road and call for HELP. You could end up preventing an accident by reporting an unsafe RV driver!

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

An RV accident can devastate everybody involved. The size and nature of these vehicles (in which many people will not ride while wearing seatbelts) means they will result in serious injuries, especially for those in the smaller of the two vehicles.

If someone who was driving an RV hit you, make recovering from your injuries your primary objective. Let the team of lawyers and legal professionals at Trust Guss Injury Lawyers get the insurance company to pay out. At the Trust Guss Injury Lawyers, we help you:

• Hire medical experts and accident reconstruction experts to help support your claim
• File the correct legal paperwork within the proper timeframes
• Set up and represent you at important meetings pertaining to your case
• Speak with anyone who saw the accident happen
• Work with police to obtain official accident reports
• Negotiate with the insurance company

Putting together a strong case depends on many different factors. Your future compensation is too important to leave to chance. Allow us to help put together a solid claim to outline the damages you incurred due to the RV accident.

We understand the confusion and challenges you face, and are here to support you through every step of the process. We have worked with many accident victims in the Houston area and are comfortable explaining the claims process to our clients. We will do the work so you can focus on getting your life back!

Were You Injured in an RV Accident? Contact a Personal Injury Law Firm Today!

If you or someone you care about was injured in an RV accident, the damages can feel overwhelming. While you’re in the process of recovering from your injuries, dealing with multiple doctor appointments, and rearranging your schedule to take time off work, negotiating an adequate settlement with the insurance company’s team of lawyers can feel impossible.

This is where the team of lawyers and legal professionals at Stewart J. Guss, Attorney at Law, can HELP. Because we take all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, you will not owe us a DIME unless we win your case. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so call us today or contact us now by CLICKING HERE. Don’t delay—speak with our experienced RV accident team TODAY!