Stay Safe When You Hit the Road in or on your RV
If you say “recreational vehicle” or “RV” to most people, they’ll probably assume you mean the homes on wheels that are such a common sight on the nation’s highways. But RVs come in many forms, not just big motor homes and pull-behind campers, but all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), motorcycles, snowmobiles, and golf carts, too.
These are all known collectively as “land-based recreational vehicles” (LBRVs). Whether you’re hitting the highway or the trail, exploring the back country, or riding from chore to chore, these can be both serious fun and serious workhorses on your farm or acreage. If you have an LBRV of any type parked in your garage, barn, or equipment shed, there are a few things you need to consider before you next turn the key.
First, you need to know the risks — and there are risks for any kind of LBRV:
- According to information aggregator HouseGrail, each year 26 people are killed and 75,000 are hospitalized in accidents involving motor homes and trailers.
- According to a 2024 report from the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the dangers of riding off-highway vehicles (OHVs) — which include quad bikes, dirt bikes, dune buggies and other types of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) — include overturning, collisions, and occupant ejection. The report shows that OHV accidents cause over 800 deaths and 100,000 trips to the emergency room each year. Accidents involving ATVs accounted for 92 percent of OHV injuries and two-thirds of deaths. One in three of those injured in ATV accidents is under 16 years of age.
- Snowmobiles can weigh 600 pounds and travel at 90 miles per hour or more, and every year snowmobile accidents result in approximately 200 deaths and 14,000 injuries.
- A survey of 17 years of data in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimated there were 147,696 golf cart-related injuries in the U.S. during the study period, meaning an average of nearly 8,700 injuries per year. More than 31 percent of those injured were children aged 16 or younger.
RV insurance
An insurance package that extends to all your vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, and LBRVs can save you money in the case of damage, an accident, or theft. It’s important that you consult with your insurance agent to be sure the all the vehicles in your personal fleet are covered in the policy you purchase.
Understanding your RV policy
Here’s the rundown of LBRV coverages you should ask about when you consult with your agent.
- Comprehensive: Comprehensive insurance covers most damages to your land-based RV for “other than collision” losses such as fire, theft, explosion, glass claims, vandalism, or collision with an animal, minus your deductible.
- Collision: Pays for damage to your LBRV when you collide with a car or an object. It also pays for repair costs regardless of fault, up to the value of your vehicle at the time of loss, minus your deductible.
- Liability: Covers bodily injury and property damage costs such as medical expenses for people injured in a covered accident for which you are found responsible, or for damage you cause to the property of others. Most states require liability insurance for all registered vehicles.
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: Protects you if you are injured in a covered accident by a driver without insurance or with insufficient insurance or by a hit-and-run driver. It also gives you protection as a pedestrian.
- Medical Payments: Pays for medical care for you and your passengers for injuries resulting from a covered accident, regardless of fault. The rising costs of hospital and medical care make this coverage more important than ever
10 ATV safety tips
It pays to be smart with your insurance coverage, but also to be smart when driving and maintaining your RV. ATVs are a huge part of the RV market. According to a study by UC Davis’ Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, there are 11 milion ATVs in the U.S.
- Inspect the machine.
- Are the tires and wheels in good condition?
- Are the controls and cable operational?
- Does the chain have proper slack and is it lubricated?
- Do you have (and wear) adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as a helmet, gloves and protective clothing?
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) recommends inspecting for the following before you ride:
- Look both ways.
You learned how to look both ways before crossing the street when you were a kid; the same rule applies when you're on any LBRV. If you're using an LBRV on your farm, take care in emerging from ditches and crossing roads without checking for traffic.
- Never carry a passenger on a single-rider vehicle.
If you are driving an ATV or other vehicle meant for only one person, do not allow passengers. A passenger can interfere with the driver's ability to shift his or her weight to accommodate changing terrain.
- Choose a vehicle that’s right for your age.
Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the minimum age of riders. Children under the age of 16 should never operate an adult-sized ATV (90cc or greater) and children under the age of 12 should not operate ATVs at all. Always supervise riders younger than 16.
- Educate yourself.
Read the manual and follow the instructions and recommendations from the manufacturer. They’re there for a reason. Also, the CPSC recommends taking a hands-on safety training course. Check into ATV-riding courses in your area and learn as much as you can about off-roading laws, which differ from state to state, sometimes county by county. To find an offroad safety course in your state, visit offroad-ed.com’s Official Offroad Vehicle Safety Courses list.
- Gear up.
We shouldn’t have to tell you it’s a good idea to wear a DOT-compliant helmet (read: WEAR A HELMET), but the ATV Safety Institute also recommends goggles, boots, and gloves. Wind protection, hand and feet warmers, long-sleeved shirts, pants, and extra traction are other items to consider depending on the weather.
- Don’t drink and ride.
Never operate any vehicle if you’ve consumed alcohol. Not only is it illegal, you’re risking your life and the lives of others.
- Don’t sink in the drink.
It’s best to go around — not over or through — ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. Frozen or not frozen, driving through or over water is dangerous in all seasons.
- Keep to the path.
Map your journey and make sure someone knows your plan before you leave. And never ride on public roads — ATVs are designed to be operated off-highway.
- Accept that you aren’t a stunt performer.
Leave the donuts, ramp jumping, and wheelies to the professionals.
Web safety resources
Sources: fifthwheelst.com; American Journal of Preventive Medicine
The information included here was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions, or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state, or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company, SI, should not be used as the basis for legal advice and should be confirmed with alternative sources.
4/2025