Living in an RV full-time is a dream that many people have but only a few get to experience. Unfortunately, the dream can quickly turn into a nightmare when the RV is involved in a collision. If you live in your RV, here are a few things you need to know in case your home is ever in an accident.
The scene of the accident
You'll need to do the same things you would do if you were in an accident with a car:
- make sure nobody is injured
- call the police and wait for them to arrive
- exchange insurance and driver's license information
- take pictures of the damage, traffic signs and roadway conditions
- move the RV off of the road, if possible
- don't apologize or admit fault
- call your insurance company
- get the accident report from the police officer
These are all pretty straight-forward, but it's a good idea to have a written reminder in case your post-accident stress level causes you to be unable to think clearly.
Call a heavy-duty towing service
The last thing you'll need is to have the tow truck arrive and not be able tow your RV due to limited towing capacity. You'll need a heavy-duty towing service, especially if you have a large RV or 5th wheel. You'll need to give your approximate location. If there are houses nearby, you'll need the nearest house number, as well as the name of the road. This information may be listed on the accident report.
You'll also need to explain the position of your RV in relation to the roadway. For example, if your RV is tipped over in a ditch, the towing company may need to bring additional equipment to get the RV out of there. You may also need to describe the amount of traffic you're dealing with, just in case a detour needs to be set up for other vehicles. Fortunately, the police department typically helps with these matters in dangerous situations.
Remove your valuables & important documents from the RV
Since you are essentially evacuating your home, you'll need to gather up all of your important documents and valuables that you don't want to leave behind. Do this while you wait for the towing service, unless the RV is not safe to enter. If its not safe, wait until the RV is at the repair shop to get the things you need, with their help. It's a good idea to keep a plastic bin in the storage compartment under your RV for situations like this. That way, you have something large enough to keep your possessions in.
Take some clothing and other essentials with you
In the stress of the moment, you don't want to forget to take extra clothing and other essentials with you, such as medication, but only if you can safely enter the RV. The repairs for your RV could take a few days or a few weeks, depending on the severity of the damages. Don't forget extra shoes and outerwear either.
Find temporary housing and a vehicle
Hopefully, your insurance coverage will pay for temporary housing and a loaner vehicle. If not, you may be expected to pay out of pocket. However, some RV collision repair centers have loaner RVs available for people in this type of situation. Alternatively, you can stay in a nearby hotel room.
Being involved in an accident is never fun,but when the vehicle is your home, there are additional challenges that need to be faced. It may be a good idea to print this article and put it in your RV, just in case. Click here for more information on RV collision repair services in your area.
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