The 4 Essential Road Trip Safety Tips You Need To Know

Although we, as a leading travel company, want our travelers to make the best out of their experience; we still want them to take into consideration some safety measures and be informed about what to do in case of emergencies. It is always good to be prepared and know how to react when faced with unusual situations when travelling in a campervan hire. 

That is why we created this guide to campervan safety, to help you with your road trips all over Europe.

1. Gas leaks

Our vans are either equipped with a built-in gas stove or a portable one. In both cases, it is always important to take if a gas leak is suspected. If so, open all doors and windows to allow any gas to escape. 

Be aware:

LPG has been given a smell by the manufacturers to help with the detection of leaks. You can complement this step by not starting any electrical equipment because it can produce a spark.

Implement certain practices that may add extra safety while using the stove. These include not putting anything in the gas cooker lid while it’s closed and not closing the lid while the gas cooker is in operation. We recommend you pay attention to your kids while cooking, and of course, do not cook while driving.

2. Motorhome theft

Although we want your travels to be worry-free, we always want you to keep an eye for theft. We always advise our travelers to lock their doors whenever they leave the vehicle even for a short period of time, regardless of where you are camping. This extra effort can prevent many incidents. 

Make sure your most valuable items are hidden in a hard-to-find area inside your motorhome, and try to close the curtains to keep your interior out of sight from potential intruders. Use your instinct when looking for a parking spot, it is advisable to park in a place where you feel comfortable. 

Finally, we strongly advise people to lock their doors at night while sleeping, it is a simple push of a button that can give you peace of mind during your trip.

3.  Portable heater

A portable heater provides air heating when the vehicle is connected to a 220V plug. If renting in the winter and travelling to colder locations with no heating inside, except NOMAD, ATLAS and some CALIFORNIA, you will need to warm up the campervan at night. 

If sleeping inside a camping site or somewhere with access to 220V, you can plug a small portable heater and get a more comfortable atmosphere inside the vehicle. Always take care to leave a roof window open at night if leaving the heater operating during your sleep, as it burns CO2, it’s always safer to have a source of oxygen.

Never use portable cooking or heating appliances other than electric heaters that are not of the direct radiant type, to heat your vehicle as it can be a fire and asphyxiation hazard. Under no circumstances should a cooking appliance be used to heat the vehicle. 

Warning Notice

Portable or open flame heating equipment should not be used. If you have such equipment on board, consider very carefully whether the risks are worth it. Please note that internal 5 socket outlets should only be used with dedicated appliances. No appliance should be used outside the motorhome whilst connected to an internal socket.

4. Driving your campervan safely 

Driving a campervan isn’t too difficult. Of course, it is different from driving a car, but you can drive it just with the same experience level required to drive a bigger road car.

Our first piece of advice is to take time to build confidence while driving. For example:

• Making sure you leave considerable distance between you and the car ahead, since you may be used to using your normal car brakes
• Make sure you leave plenty of room when overtaking the car in front of you. 

These steps might seem basic, but they help ensure a safe trip. Moreover, is it advisable to consider the length of the vehicle when making a turn in a narrow street. 

Most importantly, all travellers inside the van are required to fasten their seatbelt while the campervan is on the road. All campervans are provided with three-point seat belts respective to the number of persons allowed inside that van. Most of the road rules that apply to smaller cars also apply to campervans (for example, driving at an appropriate speed).

Additional safety equipment

Besides these standard safety measures, our travellers are always welcome to bring additional safety equipment if they desire so. There are many reliable and budget-friendly security gadgets available online and in stores, such as steering wheel locks or GPS tracking devices. There are many instances where these gadgets can be handy even after your campervan rental period with us. 

About the Author

Soufiane Ouhmad