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Safety Issues With Recreational Vehicles

Recreational  Vehicles (RVs) are an increasing concern due to the safety linked to them. The June 2014 edition of the JereBeasley Report highlighted an article on the recent safety issues that are connected to recreational vehicles, a topic that our law office feels is very important to share.

There are two categories of recreational vehicles – motorhomes and towables.

Motorhome RVs are classified as Class A, B or C unites depending on their size, while towables are classified based on their size and variations.

Towables are also referred to as the following:

  • travel trailers
  • fifth wheels
  • bumper pulls
  • other descriptive terms

RVs of both categories range in size and style, with there being several options available for those who enjoy this type of lifestyle. Although the size of Recreational Vehicles vary and can often be longer than 50 feet, the private owners and operators are not required to have a commercial driver’s license to operate it. This means that those operating these vehicles undergo very little training when it comes to safely operating them.

With the number of people owning RVs and operating them on the roadways, our law office finds it very important to spread awareness of the safety issues that are related to these vehicles. There has been research conducted that shows that there are as many at 8.9 million households that own an RV, which amounts to about 8.5 percent of all American households.

Safety Issues: RV Recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has shared the below recalls associated with RVs, as listed in the JereBeasley Report:

  • 2013 and 2014 model Jayco Pinnacle and Seneca model motorhomes and fifth wheels – recalled for microwaves that may start on their own, creating risk of fire
  • 2014 Forest River travel trailers (164 units) – recalled for incorrect labeling that may result in units being overloaded, resulting in failure
  • 2015 Crossroad travel trailers (certain models) – recalled for spring hangers that may fracture and result in loss of control of the trailer
  • 2014 Keystone travel trailers (32 units) – recalled for same reason as Crossroad travel trailers
  • 2014 Forest River Crusader fifth wheel trailers (94 units) – recalled for potential tire failure
  • 2014 Triple E motorhomes (28 units) – recalled due to lower wattage light bulbs, possible increasing the risk of nighttime collisions
  • 2013 and 2014 Keystone Montana and Big Sky Model RVs (1,957 units) – recalled for fire risk resulting from microwaves starting on their own
  • 2014 Crosswoods Redwood trailers (181 units) – recalled for same reason as Keystone Montana and Big Sky model RVs
  • 2013 and 2014 Motor Coach RVs (241 units) – recalled for microwave defects
  • 2014 and 2015 Winnebago motorhomes (198 units) – recalled because of accelerators that reportedly get stuck in the “wide open throttle position,” potentially causing an uncontrolled acceleration and loss of control
  • 2014 Keystone RB trailers and fifth wheels (708 units) – recalled for inner wheel bearings that can become overheating and cause the wheel to seize and separate from the vehicle

RV Accidents

As you can see, there are a number of recalls of RVs, and the above list is only from April and May 2014. Our law office wants to join the Beasley Allen law firm in spreading awareness when it comes to Recreational Vehicles and their link to safety issues. There is a RV consumer group (www.rv.org) that provides guidance when it comes to purchasing a recreational vehicle. They explain the lack of safety when it comes to certain class A vehicles that we believe is imperative for consumers to know.

If your or your loved one has been involved in an RV accident that was related to one of the above recalls, or a new defect that has not been reported yet, you should contact an attorney. To speak to someone in our office, call 800.637.8170 and you can have the chance to ask the questions that you have surrounding the issue and learn the legal options that you have.

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