When we reported the tragic accident that took the life of Lonnie Owens, an RVer from Missouri on vacation with his family, we were overwhelmed with your responses. But we were not surprised by your reaction, because over the 25 years we have been in business, we have always known that RVers are one of the more unified groups. When something bad happens to one of us, we are saddened; when something wonderful happens to one of us, we rejoice together - it doesn't matter whether we have ever met. The week following the Owens family accident was extremely difficult for all the residents of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, but especially those of us in the RVing community. We could not shake the vision of Lonnie Owens struggling to bring his motor home to a safe stop, and ultimately losing his life trying.

We asked you whether you thought that we, at RV Consumer Group, should continue our quest to research more RV accidents. Here is a small representation of your responses:

Thank you for the public service you performed by publishing the horrific photos of the Owens family tragedy in their 1990 Monaco coach. We buy them and ride in them but all too often we don't watch them being built. Thanks for opening our eyes to look beneath the cover. -- Chris Thomas


I support your idea of more thorough examination of RV accidents to learn how to make RV's safer. Is the NTSB paying any particular attention to this type of accident? If not, perhaps they should. I think the RV Consumer Group could render a distinct public service by forcing more NTSB attention to RV related accidents. Other elements of the transportation industry (planes & autos as an example and I suspect ships and trucks as well) are required to conduct destructive testing to learn how to build them better, why not the RV industry? -- Larry Miller


Yes, I would support RV Consumer Group in investigating more accidents involving recreational vehicle. The visual evidence of your pictures might arouse our indignation sufficiently to demand stricter enforceable construction standards for the industry. Where does RVIA stand on this? -- Sharon Dionne


I can understand how hard it must have been to send this out and yet how absolutely necessary. I definitely support investigating accidents and making sure that the questions raised here have answers. -- Kathie Vaught


Even though we don't need to do a comparison because we don't plan to buy a new RV anytime soon, we still renewed our membership so you guys could keep up the good work. Keep it up! -- Stephen Matlock


Thank you for sending this. I am surprised by the devastation. It was a shock to learn that I'm safer in my sedan than a Class A or Class C motor home (or at least in this motor home). You're on the trail. Information is the answer. Consumers should know what they're strapping on. Nothing wrong with me buying a Corvair and driving it ... but I should be informed about my survivability chances in an accident! -- David T. Walker


Thanks for your great articles. I wish to share with you that I followed your suggestions to the letter in deciding what 5th wheel to buy. I certainly didn't want the "tail wagging the dog" as you described. I appreciate your diligence and concern for the RV community. Please keep up the good work. -- Tom Dovi


Thanks for reporting on this accident. Yes, I would encourage you to continue this effort. You are providing useful information. -- Fred Buhler


I'm sure other readers would like to know, like me, if this RV had one or two stage exhaust brakes. Thanks. -- James Hare.


These RV builders have had no accountability for too long. I believe you should investigate RV accidents. We have to start sometime! Thank you. -- Jack La Flesch


After looking at the photos, I am extremely concerned about RV safety. Please pursue any and all investigations! -- Bob Shetland


We thank you for sharing the photos of a very sad and tragic accident. It is sobering to observe and we can't help but feel great sadness ourselves for the family and their loss. We feel that you have taken a very positive step in sharing industry shortcomings along with jolting each of us to be more aware. -- Vallerie Lee


Yes, absolutely, you should investigate as many crashes as you can stomach. You probably feel as if you are spitting into the wind, but you need to spread the word. I believe that the RV Industry has a false sense of security based on unprecedented luck re: crashes. What I mean is, I believe that the only reason that you don't see and hear of more horrible crashes and "imploding RVs" is because of the disproportionate number of traffic accidents. Drivers tend to be defensive and not take risks. As the average age of owner drops I think this will change. At any rate, the slide show that I just witnessed points to murderous criminality. I hope that family owns Monaco before this is over. -- Tamara Watson


It fascinates me how the average buyer assumes that these motor homes are built to some kind of automotive safety standard when you know and I know they are not. One of my previous rigs was really just a motorized pile of trash. I often wonder how some of these industry execs can sleep at night knowing what is going out of their factories. I shudder to think what the average "full wall" slide right behind the driver would do in even a minor collision. -- Ralph Grimes


Wow -- Makes me really glad that we own a 5th wheel. How about an article addressing the issue of driver/passenger safety in a 5th wheel versus a motor home? In trucks there are rules/laws about structural integrity of vehicles, is that the case with motor homes? -- Sue Anderson


Thank you for the recent RV Reporter. This was truly a horrific accident and a tragedy that this will family will live with forever. I do get very skeptical when a single incident like this is used to prove a point or cast doubt on someone or something else. It is hard for a layperson to make an informed conclusion from this [without answers to many questions]. I do agree with you that there should be far more open testing by the RV industry as to construction and safety standards and testing. To this end I would suggest that RV.org become a repository for accident information. Showing a horrible, "one in a million" accident does not really help. Showing many real world accidents to uncover repeating flaws in construction and safety makes a much greater statement. You should ask for people to send pictures and details of everyday accidents that they claim on insurance. The more data you collect the louder your voice will become. -- Richard Bursch


We need someone to be the watchdog. Please continue to investigate and report RV accidents and include the manufacturer and model numbers of the RVs involved. As RVers we need to know who makes safe RVs and who cuts corners and the industry needs pressure put on them to build safe vehicles. Thank you and continue the good work. -- John Shea


Hi - just viewed the slide shows of the Monarch accident and agree wholeheartedly that RVCG should investigate RV accidents. We base all our RV decisions on your materials and truly appreciate your efforts as we are now fulltimers. We tell everyone who will listen about RVCG. Thanks for all you do. -- Jeanne Caverly


We need more accident reports. I found this report shocking and disturbing. -- Andy Owler


This just makes me sick. YES! You should report on other accidents and shout it from the rooftops. There's no excuse for manufacturers to do such sloppy work. Thank you for your good work. -- Glenda G Alexander


In reply about RV's being investigated better after accidents we are strongly in support of this. It always will be a question and an issue whether things happened due to impact and/or poor construction. -- Peter & Irene Matlas


If you don't review RV's after an accident, then who will? Apparently no one. -- Susan Iverson


Yes, I think it would be a very good idea to investigate and report other motorhome accidents. At least manufacturers will know consumers are watching. -- Bill Roberson


I concur that RV safety and potential damages from accidents should be investigated. We had our 40' motor home totaled this year after a young mother passed out from low blood sugar in our neighborhood and slammed into the front of our motorhome at an estimated 40 miles an hour. After 3 weeks of estimating, it was determined that it should be totaled, as the frame was severely bent, and stress cracks went from the front clear to the back in the fiberglass. None of the slides would extend and to fix it would have been too costly. The young mother almost died and is making a very slow recovery, learning to walk again, etc. And our RV was just sitting there. We know we take our lives into our hands every time we drive it down the road. It pays to have good insurance, even if we trust those who say, "It was dropped so many feet off the ground and is safe" . . . -- Robin Conner


I totally support the idea of RV Consumer Group investigating more RV accidents. -- Suzanne Seay


Sad event to be witness to. Very sorry for the victims. Great job you all did on presenting this for viewing by RVers. I'll pass along to others these terrifying photos. Yes, you should do more of this because it may wake up buyers to question builders who might just respond with safer products. -- Sidney Halperen


Yes, please continue to investigate RV accidents. Please give our condolences to the family. -- Cathy and Claude Wright


Just wanted to reinforce that investigating RV accidents is a valuable service you perform. Thanks. -- Lee Marks


Perhaps we need crash standards like the auto industry has. Keeping a motor home together in a serious accident will, however, be a significant problem because of its mass and construction materials. -- Phil & Ruth Jennings


I want my family to be safe while we are traveling whether in our truck or our camper. I think the industry needs to have someone look out for our safety! Thank You. -- Kevin Madigan


I am absolutely speechless. All I can say is "Thank You" for getting the message out. Very educational and yes we need to do "a lot" more research. -- Steve Meyer


We not only think that consumer groups should investigate RV accidents but should also actively press for higher safety standards in the industry. -- Bobby & Georgia Strickland


On your question in the slide show of whether you should investigate more accidents, we think YES, maybe..... First, I'd like to know how many RV accidents occur a year and have been occurring over the last 10-25 years. A study to show us how many accidents by RV type (Class A, Class C, 5th wheel, travel trailer, pop-up tent camper and truck camper). What would really be valuable would be the cause of the accident (especially if cause is related to too small a tow vehicle, motorhome overloaded or pulling too much car behind it, etc). Also, how many deaths occurred in each group, how many serious injuries, how many minor injuries, how many pet deaths. How many were caused by the RV driver vs the other driver. Many we talk with regarding tow vehicle size simply dismiss the need for a larger truck because they've never seen or heard of accidents that were caused by improper loading or improper tow vehicle capacity. Thanks. -- John R. Meuler


I hate government intervention but I would certainly like to see some minimum standards put in place by the RV industry. It is very difficult to see past the nice interiors and colorful exteriors when shopping for these things. -- Mahlon Ray


Yes, we appreciate your investigating all RV accidents. -- Elaine & Reed Cundiff


Please continue to investigate any and all motor home accidents! It is so vitally important to know that when you purchase or rent a vehicle that it is safe! These photos are appalling. -- Susan Smith


I think that someone needs to investigate such wrecks so the RVing public can be well informed. We cannot rely on the government and most of the RV industry to keep our safety and happiness in mind. -- Marty & Frances Chambers


I just finished viewing the slides for this accident. Not only should you continue to investigate and publicly report on RV accidents, you should (continue to) lead the call for federal safety legislation and the involvement of NHTSA and the NTSB. -- Bruce & Linday Fay


Thanks for your report on this RV accident. Yes, emphatically yes, you should not only report and investigate every accident, you and your organization, of which I am a member should demand an inquest into this accident and push hard to be a party to the inquest. Your valuable input and suggestions to the jury, could and would have a dramatic impact on the future of RV'ng in North America. Ralph Nader proved that back during the Corvair days of auto safety "Unsafe at any Speed". Please keep up the honest and straight forward approach which I believe will eventually bring this industry into the 21st century. -- David A. Patterson


I found your slide show of the Class A accident informative and horrifying. I understand your emphasis is on quality of RV construction, and your slides definitely brought home the poor quality. However, as someone very interested in safety, I would find it instructive to know what forces caused this damage - i.e. speed, impact objects (what did he hit?) brake condition, etc. I understand the difficulty in ferreting out this info, but I would find it useful. Thank you for your work. YES, I would love to see more analysis of RV accidents and would even be willing to join your team in some helpful way, if possible. -- Tom Harris


Our sincere thanks to all of you for sharing your honest opinions.