Secure your RV gear for safety

How often it's said that our RVs are like rolling houses. It's decidedly true, the amount of stuff we can take with us can make life on the road real convenient. Most of the stuff we take with us is stowed away, like clothes in the closet. Ah, but the kitchen stuff – how can your roll down the highway and keep those handy appliances and stuff safe and convenient at the same time?

Some RVers are of the mind that they're safe drivers, and their countertop denizens, stuff like coffee makers and toasters, are heavy enough they'll "stay put." Is that a safe philosophy? If you're towing a trailer or fifth wheel and are involved in a traffic accident, chances are likely you'll simply deal with a big mess when you open the trailer door. But if you're involved in a motorhome accident, things could get a lot worse.

A research organization, Safety Research and Strategies, Inc., reports that in just one year, loose items in motor vehicles were responsible for 13,000 injuries. Brent Miller of California learned that statistic in a personal way. Miller's SUV was hit in a head-on accident. Miller's wife and one-year-old son, Jackson, were with him, all properly secured. But a flying cell phone hit Jackson, fracturing his skull. He survived, but spent 10 days in an ICU recovering. Now imagine what a toaster oven could do.

Obviously, the safest way to avoid being clobbered by flying objects is to contain the objects in the first place. Anything that's loose gets stowed away in a secured cabinet. Yes, in a roll-over situation lots of things are going to go flying, and cabinet latches won't be holding for that. But preparing for other kinds of accidents can prevent convenience items from becoming death-dealing missiles. Even when your RV is towable, keeping your stuff safely corralled or tied down can make a big difference in the event of an accident. Imagine the clean-up you'll spare yourself, and the cost of replacement or repairs.

So what can help you keep your stuff safe?

For the towable crowd, just putting the toaster and the coffee maker in the kitchen sink can make a big difference. In any RV, there are restraining devices that can help keep your gear from taking flying lessons. Many RVers are rabid coffee-drinkers, and can't imagine being on the road without their favorite brewing device, be it Mr. Coffee or the more upscale Keurig. Some report that a "Thumb Lock" kit works well, and that the black colored ones blend in well with the Keurig. Thumb Lock kits work for all sorts of appliances – we used one with a television that lived on a counter-top in our living room.

For keeping something from jumping off the counter in a "normal" situation, plenty of folks are happy with non-skid padding. Double up your security by putting it inside your cabinets, and you have a great combination. Others are happily using museum putty to hold down knick-knacks and "pretties."  One RVer reports great success holding lighter weight objects down with 3M Brand 2" blue masking tape.

Whatever way you choose to tie it down or corral it, the safety of everyone in your rig is enhanced when you give a little attention to security.