When you set off on holiday in your motor home with your loved ones to enjoy a few days away it is to be hoped that you have a trouble free trip and are not involved in a road traffic accident. However, unfortunately, they do occur. So, what are some of the reasons why people are involved in a road traffic accident when at the wheel of their motorhome or campervan?

Speeding

Unfortunately, despite there being speed limits in place for motorhomes, some motorists do not abide by them. As a result, accidents do happen and many of them could probably have been avoided. The faster you travel, the more likely you are to be involved in a road traffic accident with, sometimes, fatal consequences.

The speed limit in the UK for motorhomes with a maximum unladen weight of not more than 3.05 tonnes is: –

Built up areas: – 30mph (unless stated otherwise)
Single Carriageways: – 60mph (unless stated otherwise)
Dual Carriageways: – 70mph (unless stated otherwise)
Motorways: – 70mph (unless stated otherwise)

The speed limit in the UK for motorhomes with a maximum unladen weight of more than 3.05 tonnes is: –

Built up areas: – 30mph (unless stated otherwise)
Single Carriageways: – 50mph (unless stated otherwise)
Dual Carriageways: – 60mph (unless stated otherwise)
Motorways: – 70mph (unless stated otherwise)

Tired Motorists

A lot of holidaymakers set off in their motorhomes very early in the morning so as to try to avoid the bank holiday congestion on the roads here in the UK or even travel through the night. It is important that whoever is getting behind the wheel has had enough sleep as tiredness can lead to mistakes being made resulting in road traffic accidents. You may wish to consider sharing the driving.

Overloaded/Unevenly Loaded

If you have put too many items in your motorhome before setting off resulting in it being too heavy or the weight being unevenly distributed then this could lead to an accident occurring as you may not be able to stop as quickly as you would normally or the vehicle could be pulled in one particular direction.

High Winds

It is unusual for a motorhome to be blown over in the wind but it is worth bearing in mind that such a vehicle is higher than a car and more susceptible to such a thing happening. If you are parked up for the night and it is very windy then you may wish to place your motorhome away from overhanging trees incase any of the branches break off, land on your vehicle and cause bodily damage.