Why Winnebago Drivers Need Bus Driving School

By David Howard


For many Americans, the dream of selling their house and buying a Winnebago has long been a retirement goal. This is all well and good, if one or both of them worked as a commercial truck driver. However, if the biggest vehicle they have ever driven is a sedan, they may need to go to bus driving school.

Winnebago accidents, as a rule, are small fender-benders with what appears to be very little damage to the vehicles involved. However, a Winnebago accident of any kind can be extremely expensive. A little training could prevent many of these accidents, which occur when one misjudges a turn, or the height of an old bridge.

Many truck drivers can relate stories of accidents they have witnessed over the years, especially where recreational vehicles are concerned. Much like a boat, motorcycle, or motor scooter, a Winnebago is not made to be wrecked ever. There is no real safety standard, and the habit many people have of allowing family members and pets to travel freely in the motor home is discouraged.

Urban driving scenarios can be challenging to anyone new to driving large vehicles. Parking lots and pedestrians become their least favorite situations once they realize what the limited turn radius is going to be. The Winnebago is not known to be the most maneuverable thing on the road, let along in the parking lot, and pedestrians may find themselves in the most danger.

Sitting side-by-side, many of these road hogs are the same exact dimensions as a city bus, school bus, or tractor trailer. Sometimes they are even larger, or have awkward awnings, luggage racks, bicycle racks, or even an automobile trailer with yet another vehicle tagging along. Average citizens set out in these behemoths, traveling to places they have never seen with no knowledge of what the roads may be like.

Allow our elderly parents and grandparents on a tour bus with an unlicensed or untrained driver, and chances are someone will be prosecuted. Then we think we, or our parents themselves, can get behind the wheel of the biggest thing on the road without a problem. The fact is, special licensing requirements simply make good sense, no matter what state you live in.

Nothing is likely to do more damage to a family vacation than a catastrophic accident. By requiring a specialized license to drive anything over a particular weight or size, it helps to ensure fewer accidents, and more enjoyable family vacations. On the road is not the best time for a crash course, pun intended.

There will be those who complain about the requirements of a Winnebago license, just as there were complaints when they began to require a motorcycle license. In most states, one must possess a special license to drive anything over a 49cc motor bike on major roads, and the same should be done with Winnebago drivers. By making the license apply for vehicles in excess of a certain length or weight, many accidents can be avoided in the future.




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