The newspaper article is not yet online, but according to the Livingston, Montana Enterprise's Thursday edition, the driver of a Class C RV was killed on highway 89 several miles north of Yellowstone National Park. The driver was struck by a piece of an equalizer hitch, likely from another RV, that penetrated the windshield and striking and killing the driver. The highway patrol went on to say it was doubtful the piece was laying on the highway, since that would have made it highly unlikely that it would be able to enter the windshield. This would mean it fell off of an RV traveling that section of highway (likely southbound towards Yellowstone, around 9 AM on 7/15/2014. The highway patrol is investigating the incident and an autopsy is pending. ****personal comment***** There is a reason for the safety pins on those hitch components. It is likely that someone either didn't want to take the 30 seconds to install them, didn't think it was that big a deal so it slipped their mind, or didn't want to pay the $5.00 to replace a lost one and now someone is dead. Pay attention to what you are doing. And if you know someone who lost a part of their hitch in that location, please do the right thing and contact the authorities.

So...it couldn't have come from a pick-up?Gary Haupt

That is so sad. Any reason for the loss of life is tragic, knowing somebody was inadvertantly at fault makes it tragic for that person as well. My 14 year old will be driving soon. Lately, I have been more intently teaching him the rules of the road. He asked how long until he could help me drive with the TT behind us. I made it clear, this is a dangerous undertaking. Not only is the driver responsible for the TV and TT, they are responsible for all other occupants, and their cargo. We discussed how this is a 12,000# 42' long projectile.

That is so tragic. And it may not have been intentional, I have been the victim of someone taking one of my safety keys out of the hitch and without my being anal about checking everything before I move and at each stop something like could have happened to us. I always carry extra safety pins and locking receiver hitch pins with me at all times. Our prayers go out for this man's family.

Part of an equalizer is as vague as it gets. What part, how do you know it was operator error and on a failure of the part?

mich800 wrote:Part of an equalizer is as vague as it gets. What part, how do you know it was operator error and on a failure of the part?Exactly!NOBODY knows just what happened, yet some are ready to ASSUME that it was a preventable occurrence.I'm somewhat surprised that there hasn't been a call to outlaw these dangerous hitches!Perhaps that will come if it is shown that it was a part failure not a person failure.

Tragedy involving RV, probably caused by RV. | Good Sam Community

garyhaupt
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
So...it couldn't have come from a pick-up?

Gary Haupt
danager
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
That is so sad. Any reason for the loss of life is tragic, knowing somebody was inadvertantly at fault makes it tragic for that person as well.

My 14 year old will be driving soon. Lately, I have been more intently teaching him the rules of the road. He asked how long until he could help me drive with the TT behind us. I made it clear, this is a dangerous undertaking. Not only is the driver responsible for the TV and TT, they are responsible for all other occupants, and their cargo. We discussed how this is a 12,000# 42' long projectile.
Grandpere
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
That is so tragic. And it may not have been intentional, I have been the victim of someone taking one of my safety keys out of the hitch and without my being anal about checking everything before I move and at each stop something like could have happened to us. I always carry extra safety pins and locking receiver hitch pins with me at all times. Our prayers go out for this man's family.
mich800
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
Part of an equalizer is as vague as it gets. What part, how do you know it was operator error and on a failure of the part?
mowermech
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
mich800 wrote:
Part of an equalizer is as vague as it gets. What part, how do you know it was operator error and on a failure of the part?

Exactly!
NOBODY knows just what happened, yet some are ready to ASSUME that it was a preventable occurrence.
I'm somewhat surprised that there hasn't been a call to outlaw these dangerous hitches!
Perhaps that will come if it is shown that it was a part failure not a person failure.
Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2014
Terrible thing to happen but the Op sure is assuming a lot as to why.
ScottG
Nomad
Jul 17, 2014
I've read it here on RV.net. The person is missing the clips or keepers but the bars stay in place so they don't worry about it.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2014
"A piece of an equalizer hitch" that could be anything from a snap up bracket, to the shank or anything in between! heck it could even be one of those road markers that are epoxied into the center lanes! when they are broken it is very hard to tell where it came from!
Dennis_M_M
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
Here is a link to an article no mention of what "the object" was.

Anything can get kicked up off the road surface and become a deadly missile. Sad.
mich800
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014
Here are some quotes from the newspaper article.

"The object that went through the windshield has been identified as some type of a bracket for an equalizing hitch on a trailer, he said."

"No one knows which vehicle the component fell from, and no one saw it actually fall, but it’s unlikely the object would have reached the windshield if it had just been sitting on the road, Nilan said."