If you’re new to the world of RVing, the idea of driving or towing a 500 to 20,000-pound vehicle may leave you white-knuckling the steering wheel of your Class A or Class C motorhome. Certainly, it takes months of experience to feel comfortable behind the wheel of an RV with such a wide turning radius.
While it’s true that there are certain safety considerations to keep in mind when driving, parking, and maneuvering your RV, it’s not as hard as it looks. With a little practice and a few tips and tricks in your mental glove compartment, you’ll be driving your RV like a pro in no time.
Understanding the Challenges of RV Driving
Compared to driving a typical car, truck, or SUV, driving an RV is drastically different. Newcoming RVers can expect a steep learning curve when it comes to handling.
Getting a feel for the turning radius and braking distance can take some time, as does parking your RV in tight spaces (like a garage or a standard parking space). Fear not! Logging some practice time will help you overcome these challenges and boost your confidence.
In general, safety is the biggest concern that most newbies have when driving RVs. Here are a few general safety tips to keep in mind as you’re getting started.
- Keep a safe distance from other vehicles
- Be patient when turning and allow fellow drivers to get out of the way before executing your turn.
- Stay under the speed limit to ensure the safety of everyone on the road.
Types of RVs and Their Driving Difficulty
It’s important to realize that not all RVs are as difficult to drive as others. For example, smaller motorhomes and travel trailers have a much smaller learning curve than large RVs. This is something to remember when buying an RV, as the smaller your rig is, the easier it will be to drive it safely.
Here’s a quick look at some of the potential difficulties involved with driving and towing different RVs.
Class A Motorhomes
Class A motorhomes are one of the most difficult types of RV to learn how to drive. While they’re the most luxurious and livable RV option on the market, they’re also the biggest, widest, tallest, and longest. On average, Class A motorhomes are between 35 and 50 feet long, 12 feet tall, and 8 feet wide. As such, driving a Class A motorhome typically requires the most practice and has the biggest learning curve.
When operating this RV type, you must be mindful of the turning radius and how factors like whether you’re towing a vehicle behind your RV will impact said turning radius.
Because executing sharp turns and going under bridges in an RV of this size is a daunting task for inexperienced Rvers, it’s best to practice driving your motorhome in a vacant lot before hitting the open road.
Class B Motorhomes
Class B motorhomes are far and away the easiest RV to learn how to drive. Class B RVs, including camper vans, are the smallest and shortest type of motorhome on the market and are typically 15 to 22 feet long. If you have experience driving a box truck or 15-passenger vehicle, you’ll have no problem driving a Class B motorhome.
Class C Motorhomes
Despite their name, Class C motorhomes are a happy medium between Class A and C options. They’re typically 20 to 35 feet long, making them longer and taller than Class C motorhomes but shorter and squattier than Class A’s.
Class C motorhomes are generally fairly easy to maneuver, but you must be aware of your turning radius and proximity to other cars while driving.
Towable RVs
Because towable RVs can be anywhere from 15 to 45 feet long, there’s a wide disparity in terms of how hard it is to drive a towable RV. The larger your RV is, the harder it will be to tow because of the increased dangers involved with towing a large vehicle.
In addition to giving yourself extra braking distance, you should be mindful of losing control due to trailer sway and movement. Therefore, it’s always best to take things slow and practice towing your RV in a vacant lot before taking it on the open road.
Fifth-Wheel Trailers
Although fifth-wheel trailers are taller, heavier, and longer than towable RVs, they aren’t necessarily more difficult to drive. Because of how they attach to your tow vehicle with a gooseneck connection, fifth wheels are often easier to maneuver and pull on the open road.
However, as with travel trailers, it’s important to be mindful of your cargo weight, tail swings, and blind spots when you’re towing a fifth wheel. Wind gusts and a lapse in concentration are all it takes to get your trailer swaying. Regaining control when this happens is extremely difficult and could result in an accident.
Essential RV Driving Tips
Now that you’re familiar with the different types of RVs and their driving challenges, let’s look at general safety tips for driving any type of RV.
Speed Control
Because RVs are much larger and heavier than other vehicles, maintaining appropriate speed is a key aspect of RV safety. Rural interstates typically have a speed limit of 70 mph, while urban freeways have a speed limit of 55 mph. Either way, staying at or below these speed limits is a good idea. Maintaining a safe speed ensures enough stopping distance between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Driving slower will also increase your fuel economy, so you have extra spending money for your travels. Additionally, tire blowouts are one of the biggest risks when driving or towing an RV and are more common at higher speeds.
Planning Your Route
You’ll learn quickly as an RVer that you can never overprepare for your trip. Plotting your route in advance will save you a ton of stress and headache because most RVs are too big, wide, or tall to travel on certain roads. Therefore, by planning your trip, you can avoid narrow roads, low bridges, closures, and other obstacles that could cause safety concerns.
It’s also important to know where the next gas station is along your route and how far you can go before you need to refuel. Planning your route carefully reduces stress and ensures a smooth journey from start to finish.
Minimizing Distractions
Distracted driving is always a concern for motorists. However, the dangers of distracted driving are amplified when it comes to larger motorhomes and RVs or if you’re towing an extra vehicle behind you.
Here are some tips to help you stay focused on the road.
- Have a passenger to help with navigation, blind spots, and managing children or pets.
- Adjust your headlights to ensure optimal visibility.
- Clean your windshield regularly to remove any dirt or debris obstructing your view.
- Dim cabin lights to reduce glare and distractions inside the vehicle.
- Use fog lights when necessary to improve visibility in foggy conditions.
By following these tips, you can have a safer and more enjoyable RV driving experience.
Have the Right Equipment
Aside from distractions, not having the right equipment is another leading cause of RV accidents. This is especially true with towable trailers, which are prone to swaying in windy weather conditions. To avoid this, you should always use a weight-distribution hitch and sway bars when towing a travel trailer.
Mastering RV Parking and Maneuvering
While driving your RV down the highway presents safety concerns, parking and maneuvering an RV can be just as challenging. While your health and safety might not be at risk during parking and maneuvering, your pride very well could be if you lack adequate experience.
Practice Makes Perfect
As with learning any new thing, practice is the key to mastering the art of parking your RV. Odds are you won’t get it right the first, second, or even third time, but it’s important not to give up. Before displaying your skills at a campground or RV park, it’s best to practice parking, parallel parking, driving in reverse, and making tight turns in a parking lot or on a quiet road.
Once you master the art, nothing beats the feeling of backing your RV into a tight spot as onlookers watch in awe and jealousy of your skills!
Avoiding Tail Swing Accidents
Another important factor to keep in mind as you’re parking and maneuvering is that the average RV has a much wider tail swing than other vehicles. Tail swing is the distance between the rear axle and the bumper of the RV, and not taking this into account can lead to accidents. In addition to parking, it’s important to be mindful of this when driving an RV, especially when leaving fuel pumps or navigating tight spaces.
You will also benefit from having a rear convex mirror and a flat mirror on the side of your driver’s door. If you’re really struggling, a wireless observation camera can also aid with parking.
Preparing for Your First RV Road Trip
Before you set off on your first RV road trip, there are some essential steps to take to ensure a safe and enjoyable journey.
Proper Weight Dispersal
For a smooth and safe journey, it is imperative to distribute weight properly in your RV. Here are some tips to follow:
- Distribute items evenly on either side of the RV and from front to back
- Secure heavy objects to prevent swaying or other issues
- Be mindful of your RV’s cargo carrying capacity, the maximum weight you can safely add to it
Overloading your RV can strain the suspension and increase the risk associated with driving a recreational vehicle.
As such, it’s important to know your RV’s dry weight and add in the weight of anything inside it. You should avoid towing or driving an RV over the maximum allowable weight for the RV or your towing vehicle.
If you’re having trouble calculating your total weight, you can take your RV to a CAT scale or weighing station to determine your RV’s exact weight.
Ensure Proper Maintenance
If you are driving a used RV, performing a maintenance check is vital to ensure it’s in good working order. Issues with the brakes, wheels, tires, axles, and other components increase the likelihood of having an accident.
Getting Comfortable in the Driver’s Seat
Finally, you should never start driving if you don’t feel comfortable behind the steering wheel of your RV. Starting your trip when you’re stressed, worried, or anxious increases the odds of an accident. Therefore, practice as much as necessary and implement whatever safety features you need to feel comfortable behind the wheel of your big rig.
Summary
While driving or towing an RV seems daunting, it’s something you can learn to master. The more you practice and gain experience, the easier driving an RV will become.
As a new RVer, learning how to operate the vehicle isn’t the only thing you’ll have to worry about. Along with keeping up with routine RV maintenance, you’ll also need to find a place to store your RV. Secure indoor RV storage through storage marketplaces like Neighbor can help you keep your investment in tip-top shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the easiest RV to drive?
Class B motorhomes are the easiest RVs to drive because of their small size and similarity to vans and trucks.
How hard is it to drive an RV with a trailer?
Towing a travel trailer makes driving more challenging, as you’ll have decreased visibility and increased weight to manage and will need to be aware of where the trailer is at all times.
To ensure a safe and successful journey, your vehicle should be properly equipped to tow the trailer. This means having good brakes and a weight distribution hitch. You should also check your vehicle’s towing capacity and ensure the trailer is within the limits.
Is driving an RV the same as driving a car?
Driving an RV is very different from driving a car because acceleration and braking are slower, and your blind spots are larger. With practice, however, you can become as comfortable in an RV as in a car.
What is the recommended maximum speed when driving an RV?
Generally, it’s always best to drive at or below the listed speed limit if you’re towing or driving an RV.
