This has been one thing running through my mind since our new DP purchase last month. Now the dually we had was engineered to adsorb (as all cars & trucks)a collision. The energy transfer in modern cars is amazing when in serious collisions, my wife lived through one two years ago due to this technology built into modern vehicles.Now I understand the motor home is probably a whole other story.Is there anything designed into these platforms other than their size to secure occupants in a collision, particularly in a frontal collision. No air bags on ours. There isn't much space in front of us or a engine to absorb that energy. The only thing of strength up front is the frame and the generator. I see that as more of a directional thing instead of absorbing the collision, meaning it could direct the vehicle left, right, or up. Not much of anything else around that to stop anything from coming through.The only saving grace might be the height above other vehicles. How do these DP motor homes fair in a frontal collisions. Anyone been in one? I can say this is about the only thing that worries me compared to my old Fiver/dually.

It all depends on how it is constructed and who constructed it. Some motorhome constructions are much better than others! I think going head on with a car, that your odds are pretty good. But a roll over is another story. Most are going to come apart while others can be uprighted and even driven pack to the factory for repairs. That is the exact reason I purchased the coach I currently own. Its accident safety record is one of the best in the industry even today.

I think every class A will fold and crumble like a fragile card board box. Not sure about a steel bus, but any other won't be good.

What a horrible thread. Ignorance is bliss.

imgoin4it wrote:I think every class A will fold and crumble like a fragile card board box. Not sure about a steel bus, but any other won't be good.You need to look up monocoque construction. A number of motorhomes manufacturers have designed their chassis/unibody using the monocoque construction method. It will not "fold and crumble like a fragile card board box". Foretravel, some Monacos, Newell, and Prevost come to mind. monocoque-vs-ladder-chassis

Foretravels Country Coach, Bluebirds and bus conversions can roll over and still maintain their integrity. I think Newell falls in that category as well. The raised rail chassis are not built the same way and they have less rollover survivability. You have to decide what you want and what you want to pay for. I have seen rolled Foretravels driven back to the factory. I have seen busses go off a overpass. The driver died but the passengers survived. I have seen Winabago's picked up wiht a front end loader and placed on a flat bed. The only way to tell what make it was was when I saw the W on the side of a piece of siding. There are reasons that some coaches cost more even when they are used.

accident survivability in DP motorhome | Good Sam Community

Fishinghat
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Many, many years ago a Winnebago Class A went over the side off of a mountain road and the wooden box just broke apart as the chassis went down the hill on the wheels. The coach didn't turn over or roll, but was totally smashed. Now, coaches are built much stronger now with steel or aluminum frames attached to the steel chassis, so they should survive better. Generally, a thin fiberglass shell is attached to the frame at the front, but that's about all that protects the drive and passenger. Just behind the front shell are frame members that may offer some protection in an accident, but probably not a lot in a roll over.
mike_brez
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
wny_pat wrote:
It all depends on how it is constructed and who constructed it. Some motorhome constructions are much better than others! I think going head on with a car, that your odds are pretty good. But a roll over is another story. Most are going to come apart while others can be uprighted and even driven pack to the factory for repairs. That is the exact reason I purchased the coach I currently own. Its accident safety record is one of the best in the industry even today.

Some Bluebirds are roll over certified. Their were some pics over on the WOG site of a Bluebird that rolled over. The tow truck came put it back on all four and they drove it away. Forget about these lick,stick and staple coaches.
charles
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
I had a 2011 Winnebago and what worried me was not having air bags, I never really thought about it crumbling, it seemed to be built rather well.

Nick
John_S_
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2013
Foretravels Country Coach, Bluebirds and bus conversions can roll over and still maintain their integrity. I think Newell falls in that category as well. The raised rail chassis are not built the same way and they have less rollover survivability. You have to decide what you want and what you want to pay for. I have seen rolled Foretravels driven back to the factory. I have seen busses go off a overpass. The driver died but the passengers survived. I have seen Winabago's picked up wiht a front end loader and placed on a flat bed. The only way to tell what make it was was when I saw the W on the side of a piece of siding.
There are reasons that some coaches cost more even when they are used.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
imgoin4it wrote:
I think every class A will fold and crumble like a fragile card board box. Not sure about a steel bus, but any other won't be good.
You need to look up monocoque construction. A number of motorhomes manufacturers have designed their chassis/unibody using the monocoque construction method. It will not "fold and crumble like a fragile card board box". Foretravel, some Monacos, Newell, and Prevost come to mind. monocoque-vs-ladder-chassis
anconn
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
What a horrible thread. Ignorance is bliss.
imgoin4it
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
I think every class A will fold and crumble like a fragile card board box. Not sure about a steel bus, but any other won't be good.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
It all depends on how it is constructed and who constructed it. Some motorhome constructions are much better than others! I think going head on with a car, that your odds are pretty good. But a roll over is another story. Most are going to come apart while others can be uprighted and even driven pack to the factory for repairs. That is the exact reason I purchased the coach I currently own. Its accident safety record is one of the best in the industry even today.

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