Trucking Accidents
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San Francisco RV Accident Attorney
If you need an attorney after an RV accident, contact Scarlett Law Group for guidance. We can review the details of your accident and provide the legal presentation you need to recover from your injuries.
SWe can represent a wide range of recreational vehicles, such as:
- Conventional RVs
- Converted vans
- Motor homes
- Truck campers
- Folding camping trailers
We provide free consultations to help you learn more about your options.
Common Causes Of RV Accidents
A motor home is a hefty vehicle that can be difficult to maneuver and is not as highly regulated as commercial trucks. In some states, you do not even need a special license or additional training in order to operate an RV. These factors and more can contribute to serious RV accidents.
Some of the causes of motorhomes, RVs, and trailer accidents can include:
- Unbalanced Loads: When parking your RV for extended periods of time, it is important to make sure the vehicle is as level as possible — to avoid tire overload due to weight transfers apart from convenience and comfort. The load on the tire must be evenly distributed on the block and, in the case of duals, evenly distributed on blocks for both tires. If this isn’t done properly, tires can get damaged, leading to premature sidewall fatigue and ultimate tire failure.
- Inexperienced drivers: Not many drivers are skilled enough to be able to operate such a large vehicle, which can create dangerous conditions for accidents.
- Blind spots: Due to their size, RVs have multiple blind spots. Inexperienced or inattentive drivers may overlook these blind spots and cause collisions.
- Runaway trailers: RVs that have trailers attached can cause runaway trailer accidents, which are often caused by sudden turns and speeding.
- Design and manufacturing defects: From defective tires to dangerous designs, RVs can contain dangerous defects that can make it unsafe to drive.
Safety Issues For Recreational Vehicles
RVSEF data indicates that 51% of RVs exceed one or more safety ratings. Exceeding Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and/or Gross Axle Weight Rating can lead to suspension failures, handling problems, difficulty stopping, and tire failures. A large number of RVs are traveling down the road on overloaded tires that could fail at any time, with potentially catastrophic results. There are many safety measures that need to be taken by the RV owners to avoid fatal accidents.
- Tires, like most manufactured products, are designed to operate within a specific load; we call this tire load rating. Each rating is accompanied by an inflation pressure that will give you the stated rating. This does not mean that this inflation pressure is correct for your motorhome. If you wish to achieve optimum life and performance from you tires, inflation pressure must be set based on the load being carried by the tire.
- Axle Loads: Expect to find a different load on each side of the axle. It’s important that all tires on the same axle be inflated to the same pressure, based on the heavier side. If doing so results in an over inflated tire on the light side, correct the situation by balancing your coach. An over inflated tire has reduced “tire patch,” or contact with the road, and may result in unsatisfactory braking, particularly on a wet road.
- Uneven Motorhome Loads: The RV should be loaded equally on both sides. Motorhomes are equipped with slide outs, generators, refrigerators, holding tanks, fuel and water tanks, and much more. The only way to properly weigh a motorhome to ensure that you are within your tire ratings is to weigh it by individual wheel position. Once you have done this, you can refer to the load/inflation table to determine the correct inflation pressure for your tires.
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The aftermath of an accident can be devastating and scary. You are not alone. Scarlett Law Group can walk you through the legal process and help you fight for the compensation you need.
Contact us today for more information.
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