CHAIN OF PONDS TOWNSHIP – A single-vehicle accident took place yesterday, causing no injuries according to a report from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. At about 4:45 p.m. the department responded to a call reporting a rolled vehicle; the New Jersey-licensed RV camper was heading south on Route 27 when it took a corner too fast and went off the road, landing on its’ side.
The couple, 71-year-old Dwight Phillips and 69-year-old Sharon Phillips, sustained minor injuries. They were both evaluated by NorthStar Paramedics but did not require hospital transport. According to responders, speed was the leading cause of the crash. Deputy Elmes and Sergeant Scovil were assisted on scene by Maine Game Warden Scott Stevens and members of the Eustis Fire Department.
Maybe with a little training such as some type of special license or endorsement like cdl drivers must have would help in prevent or limit accidents with vehicles with such a gross weight from happening. Just an idea
Glad no one was seriously injured!
I agree with Ryan. You see some people doing some scary stuff in big rv’s
I’ve read arguments that people need an endorsement to drive a tractor trailer unit, bus, dump truck etc. but they don’t for an RV. While I can understand the argument, just like anything else, common sense would come into play with a bigger vehicle as the one in the picture. In order to drive a fire truck, one must go through an emergency vehicle operations course (EVOC). However, fire truck accidents still happen. To drive a tractor trailer, you have to go through extensive training but there are still multiple accidents involving those vehicles. What I’m saying it, common sense is missing from the roadways regardless of your endorsements. People don’t pay attention, everyone’s in a hurry and always needs to get there before someone else. Even people with a license to drive a regular vehicle crash. So an endorsement would less than likely change anything.
Where’s the corner?
An endorsement that is just handed over is of no value. “Common sense”, that most uncommon of senses, is not something we get thru our genes.
Almost all heavy truck drivers now must take a training course that includes a load of book work and even more actual behind the wheel time. The age of practicing with Uncle Al’s dump truck and a dual axle trailer for a half a day, and then testing down in Jay are over. At least I hope they are.
If every person that wants to own and operate a vehicle that is rated over one ton carrying capacity, or wishes to tow a trailer that will push the total combined capacity over the towing vehicle weight plus 2,000 pounds had to take serious driver training we would see a significant decrease in RV and light truck accidents. Common sense develops thru training and practice and experience. Without the training and experience you really don’t have a chance at understanding what happens to a tall or heavy or very long rig at speed or on slippery surfaces. You also probably can’t back up for beans.
I see truck accidents from time to time here in the western mountains. Usually they can be related to alcohol, tired drivers, inexperience or getting cut off by someone else. Training, piss tests and holding the employers accountable for hiring quality drivers are all part of keeping professional drivers at a high level of skill and awareness.
That same high bar would be a major safety benefit if imposed upon RV drivers and everyone else driving or towing long or tall or heavy vehicles. In the Declaration of Independence it promises me the right to Life. Kind of outways the imagined “rights” of untrained drivers to roam around in big RV’s and the rest of it.
I believe the “Corner” was the one the driver came around as he/she left the RV dealership without adequate training for the size of the rig.
Lauri