By David Howard


For generations, the dream of selling the house and hitting the road in a large RV or Winnebago has held the hopes of many couples. While this is an excellent way to approach retirement, there is a dark side to this dream. With most people having experienced nothing larger than a minivan, they really need to go to bus driving school before they set out on the open road.

Accidents in recreational vehicles such as the Winnebago are usually minor and occur in parking lots. These small fender-benders are uniquely expensive when one is driving their entire house all over the country. Many of the mishaps that occur can be avoided with proper training in how to handle turns, backing up, and even parallel parking their monstrosity.

Many truck drivers can relate stories of accidents they have witnessed over the years, especially where recreational vehicles are concerned. Much like a boat, motorcycle, or motor scooter, a Winnebago is not made to be wrecked ever. There is no real safety standard, and the habit many people have of allowing family members and pets to travel freely in the motor home is discouraged.

Urban driving scenarios can be challenging to anyone new to driving large vehicles. Parking lots and pedestrians become their least favorite situations once they realize what the limited turn radius is going to be. The Winnebago is not known to be the most maneuverable thing on the road, let along in the parking lot, and pedestrians may find themselves in the most danger.

Sitting side-by-side, many of these road hogs are the same exact dimensions as a city bus, school bus, or tractor trailer. Sometimes they are even larger, or have awkward awnings, luggage racks, bicycle racks, or even an automobile trailer with yet another vehicle tagging along. Average citizens set out in these behemoths, traveling to places they have never seen with no knowledge of what the roads may be like.

Allow our elderly parents and grandparents on a tour bus with an unlicensed or untrained driver, and chances are someone will be prosecuted. Then we think we, or our parents themselves, can get behind the wheel of the biggest thing on the road without a problem. The fact is, special licensing requirements simply make good sense, no matter what state you live in.

An RV accident can certainly ruin any family vacation, and it can easily result in serious injuries or fatalities. Requiring licensing to operate a Winnebago could help prevent many of these accidents. It is unfortunate that many of those injured in such a wreck are children, due to the perspective that a child can ride loose in the motor home.

While some people might want to complain about the requirement of specialized license, there is precedent for this. No one is allowed to drive anything over a 49cc motor scooter without having a proper motorcycle license, as well as insurance and a tag for the vehicle. No one should be able to put their family into one of these land yachts without some sort of basic training requirement.




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