5 Hurt in Truck/Travel Trailer Accident

Seriously? It's legal to ride in a TT being towed?

That's crazy talk. I had no idea. Would never.

Sure makes you wonder why it's legal in some States for people to ride in trailers/fifth wheels! And don't get me started about putting people in the "living area" of a motorhome while it's going down the road.

What's good enough to keep the weather out at the campground ain't that safe on the road...

A few thoughts. Have you ever seen an RV made? Some use wood, others aluminum in there construction. Most if not all RV MFG, try to construct a light weight unit,that allows smaller vehicles to tow those large TT or Fivers. Thus when in an accident, these units can literally explode, or self destruct upon contact with another vehicle or the ground. Add in the fact that they were probably going 50 or 60 MPH, that in itself does not help matters. No RV MFG has to pass a crash test as todays automobiles do, thus these units are to there best estimate, safe. This is another reason not to ride in an TT or Fiver when it is on the road.

Seeing how RV's just explode into nothing is always hard to look at. :(


Never mind.
It wasn't a 'big rig' or 'tow truck' as reported in 2 different reports it was a dang dually truck since when does that become a big rig or tow truck?.:R


Looks like he's holding his dog that survived too. Glad everyone got alive in this crash and if they had the dog in the TV it should be an eye opener for those that put their pets in the TT when traveling.

I was coming up the opposite direction yesterday with our 5er and saw the accident after it happened (I passed by about 5pm) or so. I live near Agua Dulce. As someone has said, the 14 is a racetrack; the speed, along with the winds that are sometimes common through that area, is a bad combination. While going up the hill, there must've been at least four or five cars that cut me off while going back into the slow lane to catch their exit just in time. Some drivers along that stretch can be idiots.

Not sure what happened here, it's easy to pick up speed down that hill; in some spots, engine/tranny braking is a necessity. I feel terrible for this family. I hope everyone makes a full and quick recovery.

The wind in that area yesterday, at least when I passed by was not bad, really a non-issue as far as I could tell, but who knows when they were coming down. We went up to Lake Cachuma on the 101, and that wind along the coast got pretty bad at times.

Every time I see a 5th wheel. I wonder to myself , why do they have to be 18 feet tall?.
They are a sail going down the freeway.

It doesn't surprise me as hwy 14 is a race track, especially in the early mornings and late afternoons. 80 mph is common. I'm not saying speed was the problem, only that it probably contributed to it.

Hope all injured recover quickly.

Ron

KFS wrote:

Rookie question - does towing a 5th wheel make you more - or less - susceptible?

It happens to everyone- this was a fiver- got blown off the road.

I know of someone who lost her spouse to a toy-hauler flip. She and her daughter were injured. The wind was, I believe, thought to be the culprit.

I admit that it scares me to imagine it. What can be done to prevent this?

Rookie question - does towing a 5th wheel make you more - or less - susceptible?

Man them RV's and big rigs sure self destruct easy.

Always a terrifying sight :(

Here's to hoping everyone pulls thru with a full recovery.