Thank you for the article on driving (“Drive to Succeed” by Bernice Beard). I do believe that it should have included some additional facts. Let’s face it, the majority of RV owners have not and will not avail themselves of motor home driving instruction. I would add the following to driving “musts.”

Do not follow too closely. Use the four second rule. (Observe when the vehicle in front of you passes a sign and then count four seconds. If you arrive at that sign in less than four seconds, you are too close.) Consider reaction time plus the distance it takes to stop a big rig and you will find this reasonable.

Thump your tires prior to driving. You cannot tell if an inside dual is flat unless you thump it with a bat or hammer — kicking tires does not suffice. Also examine all tires for any irregularities. Change tires at first sign of dry rot or if tread is less than 3/32″.

Most accidents involve left turns. All vehicles have blind spots so the driver must “rock and roll.” Lean forward and back to make sure a person is not crossing and in your blind spot.

Never tow without a brake system in the tow vehicle.

Use a spotter when backing.

When in a two-lane turn area, always use the outside lane. For two reasons, you do not have to turn as sharply and your tail swing will not clip a vehicle next to you. Drivers forget that the tail of your unit swings out whenever you turn — some as much as 3 feet.

Check all fluids and serpentine belt before driving and look under unit for leakage. Test horn and lights.

Many motor homes have air brakes. I was test driving one and did an air brake check. The salesman asked what I was doing and when I told him he said he had never heard of it before. Start your motor, wait for air pressure to reach maximum and depress brake and hold. PSI pressure should not drop more than 3 psi. Turn key off, release spring brake (use chock if needed) and pump brake pedal noting when your low air light comes on and continue until spring brake pops out. Units vary but many show low pressure at 60 psi and the spring brake locks at 30 psi. If these vary from your norm, have them checked.

Make sure one of your passengers knows how to operate the vehicle in case driver becomes ill. They just need to know enough to get you to help if needed. Case in point: camping in a remote area.

This will sting some but, in my opinion, all RV drivers should have a CDL (Commercial Drivers License). This requires a bit of effort but the rewards will be far greater than time and money spent.

I have been driving my Safari for some 12 years and I do have a CDL plus CPR and first aid certificates. I secured these for the safety of my passengers, and for my own safety of course.

Please include more articles on safe driving as I have witnessed some who endanger themselves and others. Obviously the list above is not complete. Thank you.

The US Power Squadron provides free education for boaters in most major cities. After the initial course, one can join the USPS and, for reasonable fees, take many more levels of navigation and boat handling instruction. Were associations such as FMCA or manufacturers’ owners associations to take the helm in developing trained volunteer-led driving classes, following the USPS model, and make them widely available, I am sure people would take advantage of the opportunity. Incentives such as reduced insurance premiums for successful completion of this sort of program might encourage motorhome owners/drivers to invest the time and money in attending these programs. I agree that requiring a CDL would be cumbersome for many, but there might be a middle ground that would work well for all.