Are some Sprinter RVs safer than others? Despite some sensationalized TV reports, fatal motorhome accidents are very rare in the US. Let’s look at the stats from the NHTSA’s FARS database. In 2009, of the 45,435 fatal vehicle accidents in the USA in 2009, there were reportedly 50 motorhome crashes (that’s 0.1% of the total number of fatal vehicle crashes):
- 2 crashes of a light truck (van-based or pickup-based) motorhome
- 26 crashes of a medium/heavy truck based motorhome
- 22 crashes of a camper or motorhome, unknown truck type
And most years seem to have even fewer crashes (see some informal analysis here showing a total of 212 people died in motorhome accidents in the years 2000-2007 for an average of just over 26 fatalities per year in the US).
Which Sprinter RV is safest in a crash? In the US, class A motorhomes (like the Sprinter-based Winnebago Via and Itasca Reyo) are not required to pass any crash testing. Class B (van-based) motorhomes are required to meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) testing that includes impact testing and roll-over testing. Below is a video comparing a Mercedes Sprinter and Ford Transit during high-speed crash testing, so if you have a class B Sprinter, this is what a head-on collision might result in.
As the video shows, the “cage” surrounding the driver and passenger seating in a class B or class C motorhome provides a great deal of protection, compared to the front cockpit of a class A motorhome. Pictures and footage of most severe accidents involving class A motorhomes typically show the entire front cockpit having been crushed or torn apart.
You also might think, reasonably enough, that since the driver and passenger are sitting up front (let’s ignore the idea of other passengers for now), that the biggest risk in an accident might be something detaching from the cabin and hitting the driver or passenger. This is why cabinets must be attached strongly to the interior – if you’re building your own conversion, think about steel frames attached with steel rivnuts and wooden cabinet exteriors. Have a TV somewhere behind the driver & passenger? This could become a flying missile if it detaches in an accident. Watch from 35-50 seconds in the below video, and notice what’s happening to the interior furniture of the RV.
But what about the effect of the more mundane details you might not check every time you drive? Are your tires worn? Are they properly inflated? This Sprinter van safety video shows Sprinter vans being driven in wet conditions with several types of tires.
The results? The Sprinter van has excellent handling assisted by its onboard electronics, systems like the ABS, ASR and ESP that are standard on Mercedes Sprinters and help compensate for road and weight conditions, as well as informational systems like the tire pressure monitoring (TPMS) system. These systems improved handling dramatically in these conditions.
Though there’s not much public data to go on, we can come up with a few general pointers on how to avoid a crash in your Sprinter motorhome:
- Avoid Class A RVs – If you want to be confident that your Sprinter-based RV has undergone crash testing, buy a class B or class C Sprinter motorhome.
- Avoid overloading – Make sure your the loaded weight of your Sprinter motorhome (including occupants, fuel, waste and all supplies) does not meet or exceed your maximum gross vehicle weight (GVWR) rating. This rating is on the the label on the inside driver’s door frame of your RV.
- Check tires regularly – Ensure that your tires are inflated to the correct pressure, and that they’re not overly worn. Tire blowouts at highway speeds have been the precipitating incident in many motorhome crashes.
These won’t prevent unexpected accidents from occurring, but they might improve your chances considerably! Also, consider a tip from first responders: if you put a number called “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) on your cellphone contacts list, responders would know who to call if you were injured during an accident.
ASKING YOUR FEEDBACK: Are you concerned about safety of the Sprinter RV you’re looking to buy? Have you had any accidents in an RV, and what was the outcome?
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