Why You Shouldn’t Continue Driving a Damaged RV After a Wreck
No recreational vehicle owners want to be in a collision, so being proactive about safe driving is important. However, wrecks happen to even the most careful drivers. Common causes of RV accidents include inexperienced drivers getting behind the wheel, speeding, badly balanced loads, overloading, and recreational vehicle rollovers.
Responsible RV owners need to be prepared for all RV accident scenarios. That includes having alternate plans for a place to stay and savings to repair the RV in the event of an accident. Having insurance is also important because it will empower you to have the recreational vehicle repaired in a timely manner.
Although it may be tempting to try to continue driving a damaged RV after an accident, doing so could cause another accident. You should instead take it to a collision center to have the damage repaired right away. Thinking about putting off this task until a more convenient time? Consider these reasons why you should never continue to drive a damaged RV after a wreck.
A Damaged RV Could Cause More Accidents
Any part of the RV could be damaged in a collision. Even the roof could be cracked, bumped, warped or otherwise damaged, leading to parts of it rolling off and potentially harming or killing someone on the road. That may not be the most likely scenario, but it’s possible. Don’t trust that an RV is undamaged just because it only seems to have aesthetic issues.
If you don’t get the RV checked out and have damages repaired, that can lead to a lot of unforeseen issues right away or even years down the road. After all, any accident is potentially fatal to you and others. Before you get behind the wheel of a damaged RV, think about the fact that it could kill you, your passengers, and others on the road. Don’t risk it.
Harm Can Be More Severe in a Future Accident
If you continue driving a damaged motorhome, you could be at greater risk for harm in the event of a future, unrelated accident. For example, if the body of your recreational vehicle is damaged, that may not seem like too big of a deal. However, your RV’s body is designed to absorb the force and direct impact of a vehicle collision.
If your RV has sustained damage to its body in a previous accident, it will not be able to absorb as much force as an undamaged recreational vehicle. That can be extremely dangerous for you and other passengers of the RV. What may have been a minor accident can easily turn serious without an intact body to your RV.
Tire Issues Alone Could Risk Your Life
Tires are often the most neglected part of recreational vehicles, but they’re extremely important. They connect your RV with the road. If damaged in an accident, your RV tires could put your life and the lives of any other passengers at risk. Even if they continue to hold some air, the under-inflated tires will have less rolling resistance.
How much weight RV tires can support will depend on the construction and size of the specific tires. Damaged tires won’t be able to continue to support the weight in many scenarios, and that sets up dangerous conditions.
Continuing to drive an RV in such a situation could even lead to a second vehicle collision, which could be worse than the first one. If you get a tire blowout after an accident, you could be killed if the RV runs off the road or causes another collision. Always get your tires checked along with the rest of your RV after a vehicle accident of any size or severity.
Driving an RV After an Accident Can Worsen the Damage
Whether your RV is involved in a simple fender bender that seems to have only left surface damage or a severe collision that requires complex repairs, it can sustain damage that gets worse over time if you keep driving the recreational vehicle without fixing it.
The RV may seem to only have a dent, yet that dent could just be the surface damage for inner misalignment issues. Bad alignment can cause a variety of problems for your motorhome. It can lead to the RV dragging or even hydroplaning in rainy weather. It can also lead to tires wearing out a lot faster.
Damage that’s worsened can be big or small. If your RV’s engine sustains damage in a collision, it may be less fuel-efficient than it was before. That can continue to get worse over time with further wear on the damaged RV. Also, a window that’s cracked might seem like no big deal, but it could worsen and eventually shatter at an inopportune moment, causing injuries or worse.
Finally, try to bring your RV directly into a collision center after an accident. Although that may seem frustrating and require you to immediately face the reality that you may not be able to use your RV for getaways for a while, it’s the best way to ensure your ongoing safety. Contact the Chehalis Collision Center for high-quality collision repair in the Olympia, WA area.