RV’s allow families to enjoy the great outdoors but if not driven properly they pose a danger to other motorists says Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

Recreational vehicles (RV’s), after suffering major losses in sales after the 2008 recession, are selling again, many to those who’ve never driven them before. These large vehicles, either driven or towed, may be controlled by those behind the wheel for many hours. Florida residents should be on the lookout for RV’s warns Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne.

“This market is back on fire,” Gigi Stetler, of South Florida’s RV Sales of Broward, told the New York Post last year. She said many of her customers stopped RV’ing with their parents as teens but now are in the market buying them. Gen Xers, or those 35 to 55 years old, now own more RV’s than Baby Boomers with millennials becoming more frequent buyers. A record 396,400 RV’s were bought last year (more than double the number purchased in 2009). In 2015 $16 billion in new RV’s were bought.

Though this may be great news for RV dealers, vacationing families and the many businesses that rely on them in Florida this may not be great news for motorists. RV’s are often driven long distances by those who may be anxious to finally get to their vacation destination, distracted by GPS directing them to unfamiliar locations on busy roads and highways.

1. Two people died in an RV crash in Utah on Interstate 84 in May. Idaho State Police reported a Winnebago motor home towing another vehicle went off the left shoulder, over corrected, overturned and stopped on the right shoulder when it caught fire. The driver and the passenger were killed in the accident, according to KMVT.
2. A multiple vehicle crash that injured one on Interstate 57 south of Marion, Illinois, occurred when a motorhome and a SUV heading southbound collided in April. The two approached a work zone and while the SUV slowed down the motorhome behind it did not, reports WSIL. It rear-ended the SUV, injuring the driver.
3. One person was killed and five others injured after a collision involving a motorhome that cut off a pickup truck in California in April at the intersection of Highway 46 and Highway 41. The California Highway Patrol reported the motorhome made a sharp turn from Highway 46 onto Highway 41 into the path of the pickup. Two people were ejected from the motorhome, one was pronounced dead at the scene and the other was taken from the scene by a helicopter to a local hospital, according to KSBY.

There are many reasons an RV may crash and many potential dangers when you drive near or around an RV.

• The driver may have been driving a long distance, fatigued, distracted and unfamiliar with the area.
• A camper or motorhome may have a high center of gravity, not handle well and may easily overturn if the driver makes a sharp turn or suddenly brakes.
• High winds affect how an RV drives and can make it more difficult for a driver towing a camper trailer.
• The driver may be inexperienced and rarely drive the vehicle or tow the trailer so may not fully understand how to safely drive it, especially in bad driving conditions.
• Campers and motorhomes not driven often may be not maintained incorrectly and worn tires or those improperly inflated may blow resulting in a loss of control.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident involved an RV, contact Boca car accident lawyer Joe Osborne at (561) 293-2600 or fill out this online contact form. You can discuss your case, how the law may apply and your best legal options to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries.