accident survivability in DP motorhome

et2 wrote:
The reason for starting this thread is from my little understanding of automobile engineering and the collision survivability compared to diesel pushers.DP's do not fair as well as cars or P/U's towing trailers IMHO. Albeit, the towed trailer has to stop also in a collision on a Pick up, so maybe that's another conversation.

My reply is from an old news article that I saved after many years of delivering to this one RV dealer. Somebody crashed their new m/h into a tree and died. I had to look at that m/h for many months, everytime I rounded the corner to get into the dealership I saw it, usually 3 or 4 times a week. It stuck in my mind and I saved the article when I saw it. As you can tell by the date it is old. Lets hope some changes have been made since then. If anybody has any proof of any changes since the article please post them. What did the driver actually die of? You would think that is a no brainer, you would think the impact of the tree and going through the window or something like that. No, not that easy to figure out. He died because of cabinets and shelves that broke loose in the living compartment (in back of him) smashed into the back of head on impact of hitting the tree. I posted a few notes from article and have entire link at bottom of page. Not posting as gospel and I don't believe everything I read of the internet or your local news (or surprise,this forum). But the article might have some facts to consider. Go to the bottom for full link. I hated rounding that corner to the dealership and seeing that m/h with a cheap blue tarp ducked tape around the front and halve falling of with blood stains dried up against the insides. Made such a impact on me I kept the news article about it. Sorry if it offends anyone. Please Drive like your life depends on it because it might.

"Why, then, did KIRO Team 7 Investigators discover some of the biggest, most expensive motor homes on the road are exempt?"

"Federal law requires crash and rollover tests for cars, SUVs, semi-trucks and even charter buses. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just conducted a new series of bus tests last month. The explosion of glass and crunch of metal are tools that guide new safety improvement."

"the government requires front-end crash and brake tests for the empty chassis only"

"Put a steel platform out there. Put some wood on it and start nailing wood two-by-fours to it or screwing on some aluminum studs. Those things are not going to carry the loads when you rollover. The platform is going to sit there and the stuff you attached on top is just going to fall over,"

"NHTSA (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) hasn't crash tested finished motor homes because they are fundamentally safe-- there simply haven't been enough deaths to warrant the cost of purchasing and testing these types of vehicles."


Full article http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/rv-crash-deaths-under-investigation/nDrSW/