Handling Emergencies Information for All Drivers

All drivers are placed in emergency situations at some point in their driving careers. Although you can't avoid emergency situations, you can give some thought to them so you can be mentally prepared. If you think about a certain emergency situation and decide how you would handle that emergency, you will be better prepared to react properly if it really happens.

Accidents

Good defensive driving techniques will help you from becoming involved in accidents. One important technique is to keep a three-second or more following distance from the vehicle ahead of you. Keeping your distance gives you time to react and avoid an accident. Refer to the California Driver Handbook for information on three-second following distances.

Plan Your Escape

To avoid successfully an accident situation, you need to plan your escape. As a defensive driver you have already prepared for this by maintaining a space cushion around your RV which you will need to avoid an emergency. Glance at the shoulder of the road. Does it look firm enough and wide enough to support your vehicle? Is your vehicle well maintained so that you don't have to worry about unexpected mechanical problems? Remember to make gentle steering movements.

Signal Your Intentions

Always use your vehicle's mechanical signals when you move through or out of traffic. In an emergency, and once you are on the side of the road, use emergency flashers, flares, or some other emergency signaling device to warn oncoming traffic. Emergency signaling devices are even more important if you are unable to pull completely away from the flow of traffic or you are on the top of a hill or around a curve in the road and other drivers cannot see you.

If you have a flat tire, make sure the person who changes the tire is not in the way of oncoming traffic. If a narrow shoulder does not permit the vehicle to be parked far enough away from traffic flow, proper use of emergency signaling devices and a person flagging traffic away from the scene are important safety precautions. Be sure the jack is adequate to lift the vehicle and that wheels are blocked.

Fires

All recreational vehicles must carry at least one dry chemical or carbon dioxide (CO₂) type extinguisher in working condition with a rating of at least 4-B. The most effective fire extinguishers use halon gas and are good investments for RV safety. It can keep a small, manageable fire from becoming a major, uncontrollable fire.

The best fire protection includes:

• proper maintenance and inspection of fuel systems and electrical equipment,
• the use of a smoke detector, and
• an LP gas detector.

Make sure the fire extinguisher is suitable for the type of fire and it is large enough to put out the fire. If you have a fuel or electrical fire, first try to shut off the source of the fuel. Turn off the fuel valves and unplug the electrical circuits. If you aren't sure, shut off everything. All family members should be able to put out a small gas or oil fire with the extinguisher.

The most common extinguisher is a 2 ¹/₂ lb. ABC which is suitable for all types of fires, including fuel fires and electrical fires. There is no substitute for the correct type of fire extinguisher. The letter designates the type of fire suitability:

• A—ordinary materials like wood and paper
• B—petroleum products such as gasoline, propane kerosene
• C—electrical

Be sure to recharge the extinguisher after it is used, even if it is not totally empty. Conventional CO₂ extinguishers should be recharged periodically even if they are not used. The dry powder used in CO₂ extinguishers tends to compact with road vibration. Before using it, rap the CO₂ extinguisher sharply on its side and bottom to shake the powder loose.

Put the extinguishers where fires are more likely to occur and where they can be easily reached. For example, with a tow vehicle and travel trailer, you should have one in the tow vehicle and another near the kitchen in the trailer.

Fuels

RVs normally carry two types of fuels: gasoline and propane. Some RVs use diesel fuel and propane. Very few do not have propane aboard.

Propane is no more dangerous to use than gasoline. Either fuel, if mishandled, can cause disaster. Propane vapor is as explosive as gasoline vapor. When propane leaks from one of the lines inside an RV, it can build up in volume to the point where it may explode. Leaking gasoline can also cause an explosion if its vapor collects in a closed area. Of course, a source of ignition must be present to set it off. In any case, both fuels deserve healthy respect. Knowledge and preventive maintenance are the keys to safety.

Make frequent inspections of your RV's fuel systems. Look closely to see if lines are rubbing against sharp edges of the vehicle. Is the neoprene (synthetic rubberlike plastic) gasoline line cracking because it is old? Is the carburetor starting to leak? Did you recently check the joints in the propane lines with soapy water? (Soap bubbles will indicate a leak.)

If your vehicle is equipped with a liquefied petroleum gas or natural gas tank in a hard-to-see area of the vehicle, it must be identified by the letters "CNG," "LNG," or "LPG" one inch high or larger. The letters must be placed in a visible spot as near the tank as possible.

Overfilled Propane Tanks

A common hazard with propane is inexperienced service personnel overfilling propane tanks. All propane tanks are designed to be filled only to the 80 percent level, which allows the fuel to expand in warm or hot weather (outage). If the tank is filled beyond the 80 percent level, expansion during warm or hot weather may cause the tank's relief valve to leak the excess pressure into the air. A source of ignition near the tank could cause a fire. The 80 percent valve on the tank indicates proper filling. Propane flow into the tank should stop immediately when white vapor begins to appear from the valve.

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