Have you ever spotted a large vehicle with body damage low down on the right side, in front of the rear tires? There’s a reason that’s such a common point of impact.
Beware of Off-Tracking and Rear Overhang Swing
When driving in a straight line, the rear tires follow the same path as the front tires. But when you drive around a corner, the condition called “Off-Tracking” causes the rear wheels to follow a substantially different path.
At the same time the rear wheels are off-track, the Rear Overhang pivots around the drive axle in the opposite direction. Both of these situations cause some of the most common accidents that RVers, and drivers of other large vehicles, experience. The video below clearly demonstrates how and why this happens.
Tips From a Professional Motor Coach Operator and Safety Training Manager
As is typical with pre-retirement-age full-timers, I have a “past life” working more traditional non-mobile jobs. In one of those previous lives, I was both a professional driver and driving instructor.
I drove charter and tour buses in a big city and was Safety and Training Manager for one of the largest bus companies in North America.
I’ve hired and trained literally hundreds of professional motor coach operators, along with training and overseeing a team of instructors. I was also a regular competitor in the annual American Public Transit Association Bus Roadeo driving competition, winning a shelf full of trophies at both state and national levels.
A New Video Series: RVgeeks Driving School
Sharing tips on the operation of large vehicles and advanced defensive driving techniques is something we’re pleased to be adding to our portfolio of videos for our fellow RVers. Anything that helps keep us all safer can’t be bad!
This first video in the series covers Off-Tracking and Rear Overhang, which are conditions caused by turning the steering wheel in a large vehicle. Both require special attention to prevent impact with other vehicles or fixed objects.
Try the RV LIFE Pro Bundle FREE for 7 days
Thanks for the very interesting and instructive video, the overhead shots and the idea to wet the tires really helped me understand what happens in turns. I don’t have a Class A(nything), just a 30′ trailer hooked behind my Avalanche, but the information will no doubt help me to keep from damaging it…again.
Need video on driving a fifth wheel