RV travel offers an exciting mix of adventure and on-the-road comfort. But beneath the fun is a series of critical safety procedures passengers must observe while the rig is in motion. Certain habits common in established homes or cars become perilous when the road gets bumpy or the RV rocks. Having a clue about what you should never do as an RV passenger when traveling can prevent accidents and make for smooth sailing.

Kitchen Adventures Are Off Limits

Many RVs have tiny but functional kitchens with propane stoves, hot plates, and appliances strapped down. Making food, picking up the dishes or even taking a drink when the RV is in motion creates risks. A quick stop or uneven paths can spill a pot, rattle a lid or hot liquid, resulting in burns or worse. Real-world experience suggests spills from coffee machines or fallen cookware have caused extensive damage while traveling. The practice is best not to use the kitchen area until the RV has stopped.

Don’t Get Up and Change Seats

Unlike traditional vehicles, RV cabins have more than one seating area, e.g., swivel captain chairs and bench seats. Passengers will be likely to get up and move around inside or switch seats during the journey. However, safety codes require everyone to be seated in a travel-type seat with secure seatbelts. Standing or walking within a moving RV increases the risk of falling or being thrown about during sudden turns. Several reports verify unbuckled riders suffering fractures and head injuries in sudden stops or rollovers and verify this as a necessary rule.

Hands Off Slide-Out Controls and Appliances

Most motorhomes feature expanding slide-out rooms to provide living space after parking. Running these hydraulic slides in transit can destroy the mechanisms and result in dangerous breakdowns. Manufacturers strongly advise against extending or retracting slide-outs in transit because travel vibrates the slides and causes leaks or partial collapse. Similarly, running high-draw electrical devices like microwaves or heaters while traveling can produce electrical surges or fires — dangers that experts regularly find lead to onboard emergencies.

Avoid Overhead Bunks When Moving

Overhead sleeping quarters over the driver’s section occasionally appear to be so handy but are extremely hazardous when on the move. Occupants here lack proper restraints, and an abrupt stop or turn will suddenly throw them forward, causing blunt trauma or ejection into the cabin. Leaning inside these areas to grab suitcases also destabilizes the vehicle on curves.

Keep All Body Parts Inside

Window and door leaning is more hazardous inside an RV than in smaller vehicles. The greater width of the frame and the lack of solid grip points expose passengers to injuries like limb trauma from roadside elements or hard blasts of air that can cause loss of balance. Especially in children, open doors during transportation are a significant fall hazard if the RV jerks. All passengers should remain completely inside, protecting them from the elements outside until the RV reaches a safe station.

Do Not Tamper with Propane Systems

Propane appliances such as stoves and heaters are fantastic comforts but must be handled with extreme caution. Never should the propane valve or regulator be handled by passengers while the RV is on the move. Bouncing may cause leakage, and even a small spark will ignite dangerous flammable vapors. Fire safety reports show that inadvertent propane valve openings while driving are the root of a significant percentage of RV fires, which speaks volumes about the seriousness of this ban.

Avoid Distracting the Driver’s Space

The RV cockpit contains a number of controls and electronic devices vital to safe operation. Passengers must not play with GPS units, put accessories in, or allow gadgets float around where they can get in the way of pedals or the steering wheel. In-cabin distractions in the driver’s space have caused near crashes and crashes. Keep all electronics stabilized and the driver’s space unencumbered to remain attuned to the road ahead.