Safety Driving Tips – For Everyone!

I’ve been a professional driver for many years now and as the busy season on roads and highways is now in full swing, I thought I would offer a few safety driving tips from what I’ve experienced over time. In particular, I would like to focus on those people driving larger recreational vehicles on our busy highways.

Like airline travel etiquette, along with eating etiquette, there is and should be a certain amount of driving etiquette. 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 and it makes road travel experience much more enjoyable at the same time. For many of us, packing up the motor home and embarking on family camping holidays only happens for a couple of weeks of the year and therefore, we only really experience driving these oversize motor homes for just that short period of time. As result, we aren’t always comfortable driving these big rigs and need to take extra care and precautions along the way.

Safety Driving Tips – Recreational Vehicle Driving

In over 35 years of driving Charter Bus and Transport Trucks, I am proud to say that I’ve never been involved in a motor vehicle collision or have been stopped for any motor vehicle infractions, such as a typical speeding offense. This is largely due to extensive driving training courses taken over the years and always practicing safe driving. I’ve received numerous safe driving awards which I proudly display on the walls of my home office. I have found that drivers who are aggressive, in a hurry and not courteous of others are those we see involved in crashes and the ones for the most part that are stopped by police for one reason or another. If we slow down, relax and enjoy the drive, our highways would be so much safer as a result. Here are a few tips I would like to offer especially for those driving their larger campers and motor homes on our busy highways, especially over the summer holiday season.

First and foremost and what I’ve previously mentioned is simply to ‘Slow Down’. I drive transport truck in Canada between British Columbia and Alberta. This highway becomes extremely busy in the summer months and literally thousands of people are driving rented or owned recreational vehicles taking their holidays in British Columbia and/or Alberta. The route through the Canadian Rockies is simply breathtaking with its amazing beauty. What I do find puzzling, is the amount of people driving their motor homes and towing a boat, car or trailer as well, who are speeding along this beautiful stretch of highway. As result of their aggressive driving behaviour I often see the trailers they are pulling swinging to and fro behind them, with near misses in side swiping others, small tires blown as a result of heat and speed and many times, these rigs are pulled over at the side of the road having been stopped by police for speeding or some other infraction. It’s vacation time, slow down, relax and enjoy the drive!

My second tip is to be ‘Courteous’ of others on the road. For many, especially those renting motor homes and visiting from other parts of the world and not quite familiar with our North American highways, it is important to drive safely, take your time and always be courteous of those around you. For example, many of our highways in Canada are 2 lane highways only. This means that there is only one lane for travel in each direction, especially through the dangerous mountainous regions. When driving a larger unfamiliar Recreational Vehicle on these highways traffic can easily get backed up behind you. It’s important for you to take your time, drive safely and take in all the beautiful scenery. At the same time, however, it’s important to be mindful of those behind wanting to get by. In particular, semi-truck and bus drivers who are working and on a schedule, need to pass and be on their way as usual. So, it is important to pull off when safe to do so and let the flow of traffic get by. I have practiced this for years when we travel in our motor home and it makes such a difference for everyone. I’ve received numerous waves of thanks from motorists as a result of this simple courtesy.

Safety Driving Tips – Enjoy The Drive!

RV driving is fun and a great way to vacation with your family most anywhere in the world. With a few recreational vehicle safety driving tips to be aware of, travel in this manner can be relaxing, enjoyable and most of all safe for everyone. The last important safety tip that I most often see is don’t ‘Overload’ your vehicle. This not only for motor homes, campers, boats, trailers and so on, but for cars and vans as well. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve seen these vehicles and trailers grossly overloaded to the point of extreme danger for everyone. I’ve 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, making it unsafe for you and your family and those traveling around you. As a transport truck driver, we have to pull into commercial scales 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 and also the maximum weights each axle on your vehicle or trailer you are towing can handle. Be as safe as you can be at all times.

Three pretty simple and effective safety driving tips to help make your family holidays fun safe and memorable. Happy travels and be sure to travel safely at all times!