5er accidents
seems like the last few weeks have been really bad for 5ers here in NC. Why? My opinion. Many have been sold that story about how 5ers tow so good that you don't even know there are there, and that ...
Forum Discussion
valhalla360 wrote:rlw999 wrote:
I'm always amazed at how fast people tow. Like in an area with 70mph speed limit for cars, and 60mph for trucks+trailers, I regularly see people towing RV's (both 5th wheel and bumper tow) at 75mph+, keeping up with the car traffic.
I don't tow, but when I drive my Class C, I generally stick with the truck speed limit... not only is it safer, but the gas mileage is better too. Just because you *can* drive at 75mph, doesn't mean you *should*, or that you can do so safely.
Unless there is weather or other conditions coming into play...on a clear dry day, keeping up with traffic is generally safer on freeways.
Truck speed limits are put forth by politicians not traffic engineers.
Now if it's a lightly traveled rural freeway, doing 60-65 isn't a big problem but as traffic builds keeping up so you don't create a rolling road block is safest.
But I'm with the other post asking what data is there that a lot of 5th wheel crashes are happening? I've seen far more bumper pulls in crashes over the years.
Decades ago, a study was done in MT or WY, where they opened up a stretch of highway to NO speed limit for a period of 1-2 years. Kept very good stats on speeds, accidents, crashes, injuries, deaths, etc. They then set a speed limit of 80 or 85% of the average speed they'd recorded during the test period. ALL stats went down to =below= the pre-test period, and stayed that way. Of course, the Feds jumped in and F'd it all up by mandating the 55 speed limit and, guess what? All the stats went back up. IIRC, this was based on a similar test that had been done in Germany in the 50's or 60's, when the autobahns were being constructed.
The basic conclusion was that it's not speed that kills so much as speed =differential= that kills.
Lyle
