Worried about getting into an accident in your RV rental? We hear you. Fortunately, these types of accidents rarely occur, and simply being careful will almost always ensure your trip goes off without a hitch.
Of course, there is always still a chance of having an RV rental accident. Knowing what to do in such situations should help ease your worries, and learning about the coverages and protections RVshare has in place will help even more.
In this article, we will help you understand what happens if an accident does occur in an RVshare rental RV.
Preventing an RV Rental Accident
Clearly, it’s best to avoid having an RV rental accident entirely. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to help prevent accidents as you enjoy the open road.
Know Your Height and Weight
RVs can’t fit everywhere cars can. Sometimes there are low clearances that won’t allow for an RV to pass under. Other times, you’ll come across bridges that are not intended for heavy loads. Knowing the height and weight of the vehicle you’re driving will help you determine whether you can fit under an overpass or drive over a bridge safely.
Take It Slow and Leave Space
The very best way to avoid having an RV rental accident? Slow down. RVs are big and heavy, meaning they don’t like to stop quickly. The faster you’re driving, the harder it will be to stop the vehicle. Therefore, it’s best to take it slower than you usually would and leave plenty of space between yourself and the vehicle in front of you.
55 MPH is generally a good speed for an RV driving on the highway.
Make Wide Turns
Because RVs are so much longer than other vehicles, it can be really easy to scrape the side of the vehicle on things as you turn. To avoid this, make sure you make wide turns. It’s also a good idea to have a spotter available when leaving gas stations, campsites, and other cramped areas that involve obstacles.
Avoid Driving at Night
Driving at night automatically increases your chances of having an accident. It’s harder to see obstacles at night, making hitting an animal or clipping a sign while turning much more likely. For this reason, it’s best to stick to daytime driving in a rental RV.
Ensure Everyone is Buckled Up
It can be tempting to let kids and pets roam around in the back of the motorhome while you’re driving. Don’t do this. Not only is it dangerous should you get into an RV rental accident, distractions caused by wandering passengers could actually be the cause of an accident.
Steps to Take if an RV Rental Accident Does Occur
Let’s say that despite employing all of the tips above, you still find yourself in an RV accident. What do you do next? Here’s a quick rundown of the steps you should take immediately following such an incident.
Ensure Everyone is Okay
The first thing to do after having an RV rental accident is make sure everyone in your vehicle is okay. After checking on those in your own vehicle, check on the people in the other vehicles involved. If anyone is injured, offer as much assistance as possible, but only move an injured individual if absolutely necessary.
Move to Safety
If possible, move all involved vehicles to the side of the road and as far away from moving traffic as possible. Of course, you only want to do this if it doesn’t pose a safety concern. Vehicles towing trailers should be left in place, as it’s hard to know the condition of a hitch following an accident.
Whether you move over or not, be sure to employ your emergency lights.
Call 911
Now that you are in a safer location, call 911 and let them know you require assistance and give them your location. If anyone was injured, be sure to let the dispatcher know that as well. Don’t skip this step, even if the accident was a minor one.
Exchange Information
Once emergency personnel arrive, you will want to make sure to exchange information with the other party (or parties) involved in the accident.
Be sure to get all of the following:
- Full name and contact information
- Insurance company and policy number
- Driver’s license and license plate numbers
- Type, color, and model of vehicle
- Location of accident
Take Photos and Notes
If you or someone in your party is physically able, it is incredibly important to document as much as you can immediately after the RV rental accident.
Things to gather include:
- Name and badge number of all responding officers.
- A copy of the accident report.
- Photos of the damage to all involved vehicles, taken from multiple angles.
- Contact information of those involved in the accident, as well as witnesses.
Contact the RV Owner
Of course, you will need to contact the owner of the RV. Do this sooner rather than later and be sure to pass along all of the photos and information you’ve gathered. This helps the RV owner file a claim with the insurance company.
Call Roadside Assistance
The RVshare 24/7 roadside assistance will help you determine next steps. In many cases, this will include having the RV towed to a shop for assessment and repairs.
RVshare Protection Plan
Worried about having an accident in a rental RV? This is understandable, but try to relax. The RVshare Protection Plan is in place to ensure that you, the RV, and the owner of the rental RV are taken care of if something should go awry during your vacation.
This protection plan includes comprehensive nationwide protection through the experienced RV rental insurance company Crum & Forster. The folks at this insurance company are quick to provide expert responses, and the coverage includes up to $1M in liability insurance, up to $300,000 in comprehensive and collision coverage, and more.
RVshare 24/7 Roadside Assistance
In addition to excellent insurance, RVshare also takes care of their renters by providing 24/7 roadside assistance through Questx Tow Network (or simply “Quest”). This service includes all of the following:
- Towing service
- Tire service
- Battery service
- Lockout service
- Extraction and winching
- Delivery of supplies
- Tele-tech services
- Mobile mechanic
Renters can receive assistance from Quest by calling (855) 229-9696 and providing their RVshare reservation number.
If you do end up in an RV rental accident, you can rest assured that this roadside assistance will do everything they can to help.
Hopefully this article helps put your mind at ease and allows you to go into your trip prepared and with full confidence that RVshare has your back (‘cause we do)!
