Deadly motor home crash in Kansas

[82FB]

Accidents happen all the time. This one just happens to have occurred with a 17 year old at the controls. Doesn't mean the age had anything to do with it. Had it been a 50 year old, the blame would have been placed on inattentiveness, or cell phone, or just plain tragedy, but since there is an easy target to place the blame on, the drivers age gets the brunt.

[StinkBug]

I'm wondering how many people in here that are saying the 17 year old shouldn't have been driving that rig, have ever actually driven a rig like that. I have, and it's not difficult at all. In fact other than maneuvering in tight spaces it's actually not much harder than a typical car. Easy enough to lull you into thinking it's just as easy to recover from something bad happening.

Big toters are not hard to drive, but the consequences are big, and they are hard to control when things go south. I'd be willing to bet everyone in there was comfortable with the kid driving because of his own history and because of how easy it was to drive, and I'd be willing to bet that none of them could have handled that rig if something went wrong with it (steer tire blow out, ice, etc.)

People want to blame the kid, but we dont know anything about how it happened. As Gary mentioned he wasn't actually breaking any laws.

[ChaseYJ]

Originally Posted by StinkBug

. Easy enough to lull you into thinking it's just as easy to recover from something bad happening.

Big toters are not hard to drive, but the consequences are big, and they are hard to control when things go south.

There lays the problem.

Originally Posted by StinkBug

he wasn't actually breaking any laws.

Only because there is a technical exception for RVs. Which maybe there shouldn't be on bigger units like that for obvious reasons. Like you said, when things go south they go south big and your o ly chance is experience and being properly educated/trained on how to react in a given situation.

[Alfred W.]

Hell I learned to drive my dad's semi truck at age, 14 at age 16 dad would go to sleep. I'm 51 now.

[StinkBug]

Yes, exactly what I was saying. Problem is I doubt ANYONE on board had the training or experience to save the rig in a bad situation. I also bet any of them that had driven it felt it was no big deal for the kid to drive.

This is the reason I wont place blame on the 17yo or the other people that allowed him to drive. I'm betting they didn't know any better.

[Cork]

Originally Posted by JR

I don't think it's a matter of geographic location. A 17y/o is still 17 no matter how much experience he has or what farm he was raised on.

If you were riding in the motor home (or what ever it was) with 18 people on board and you knew a 17 y/o was driving, would you be OK with it?

I remember driving a 80k+ truck to a saw mill 25 miles away when I was 15. Many times. Don't count the kid out for being 17.

Driving a bigger vehicle is really no different than a small car until you get into tight spaces. Which 99% of the time you are just creeping along.

[DozerDan]

Originally Posted by ChaseYJ

There lays the problem.



Only because there is a technical exception for RVs. Which maybe there shouldn't be on bigger units like that for obvious reasons. Like you said, when things go south they go south big and your o ly chance is experience and being properly educated/trained on how to react in a given situation.

Hell 'we' just drove a freightliner from VA to Ca for KOH towing a toyhauler, its reg RV, and not one of the drivers had more than a basic drivers license.

More seat time than a 17 year old, yes, but still no seat time in that sort of a vehicle.

[Travis Waldher]

Originally Posted by StinkBug

Yes, exactly what I was saying. Problem is I doubt ANYONE on board had the training or experience to save the rig in a bad situation. I also bet any of them that had driven it felt it was no big deal for the kid to drive.

This is the reason I wont place blame on the 17yo or the other people that allowed him to drive. I'm betting they didn't know any better.

I wouldn't place blame on the 17yo because hey may well have had 10x the experience an older adult has that just drove a 40' class A off a lot and slapped a trailer behind it; with nothing more than experience driving a small car or full sized pick up.

[Custom Splice]

I drove by it yesterday on our way back from
SE Texas, what was left of the rig was shredded. Bad scene.

[NERVEman]

Not knowing any real details, the 17yr old may have been the best choice. My wife is an awesome driver, i let her drive anything i have owned but when it came to the 26foot class A with a 12 foot trailer i had...no way!
She refused to try as she was to nervous. Yet rawks a fast Skyline daily. The last thing you need is an ADULT driver with no confidence.
Maybe the 17yr old was the best choice at the time?

[BassnTruck]

Is it just me or does anyone else want to know what it in the blue cooler in the above pic?

[Custom Splice]

Probley water for the recovery crew.

[JR]

There hasn't been any evidence yet that the driver was at fault and obviously, these rigs are a piece of cake to drive.
However, if the driver is found to be negligent is he legally responsible?

Intrusting the lives of 18 people to someone that is not a legal adult is irresponsible IMO.

[murse]

For all you saying that the driver didn't have enough experience. How do you go about getting experience driving a rig that size? By driving it, that's how.

[G_P]

Originally Posted by JR

Intrusting the lives of 18 people to someone that is not a legal adult is irresponsible IMO.

Just plain putting 18 freakin people into a motorhome and driving it hundreds of miles is crazy. Where were they sitting? on the floor?

[speedo]

We see a fair share of people up here in the summer time, driving large RVs for the first time. They fly up here rent an RV and away they go, all they need is a drivers license. They could be 70 and never driven anything larger than Civic and all they need for a 40' RV is a standard drivers license same thing for a 17 year old. Without knowing what happened, its all just speculation.

Gus

[Dr.Danger]

Originally Posted by murse

For all you saying that the driver didn't have enough experience. How do you go about getting experience driving a rig that size? By driving it, that's how.

That's how I got my experience, and I'm not judging the kids ability to drive a truck.

I however feel that there's a huge difference between a grain truck and a trailer full of passengers. Here in Texas you need a passenger endorsement, because it's a shit ton more responsibility, and we all know how responsible 17 year olds can be. How many of you were driving school buses of kids at 14-17?




Food for thought.

[ChaseYJ]

Originally Posted by JR

However, if the driver is found to be negligent is he legally responsible?

Intrusting the lives of 18 people to someone that is not a legal adult is irresponsible IMO.

I guess it depends what the restrictions were in his license. There are no special requirements for licensing to drive the rv so I can't see that coming back on him. Maybe if it was found he was negligent but with the little information available I wouldn't think that's the case.

[RanchTruck]

Originally Posted by speedo

They could be 70 and never driven anything larger than Civic and all they need for a 40' RV is a standard drivers license same thing for a 17 year old.

I think the danger from retired folks who sold their houses and cruise in the monster RV's late into their 80's is a lot greater than 17yr olds driving the same rigs. At least the 17yr old can see, still has quick reflexes, and is unlikely to keel over from a stroke or heart attack behind the wheel.

A grain truck is just as big a responsibility as a RV because you could paste a loaded 15 passenger van or a school bus with it just as easily.

[trampas]

Originally Posted by ChaseYJ

I guess it depends what the restrictions were in his license. There are no special requirements for licensing to drive the rv so I can't see that coming back on him. Maybe if it was found he was negligent but with the little information available I wouldn't think that's the case.

He's just stating he thought it was irresponsible in his opinion, like everyone in this thread has, an opinion.

[kc8ksg]

I think we should ban 17 y/o's, and motorhomes, and trailers, and blue coolers!

[montecarlo31]

Originally Posted by G_P

Just plain putting 18 freakin people into a motorhome and driving it hundreds of miles is crazy. Where were they sitting? on the floor?

That is what I am thinking, 18 people is like a mini bus. Where were they all sleeping? I can see 6 maybe 8 but not 18.

[ky scrambled]

They are now saying that he was driving the motorhome legally. Sad situation for all those involved. If he comes out of this alive he is gonna be fucked up for the rest of his life.

[Landslide]

Originally Posted by JR

I far as I know, the cause of the accident has not been confirmed.
Regardless, it is not right that the lives of 18 people were in the hands of a 17 y/o driver. Not enough life experience.
It's interesting that the driver's mother, a widow, also had 12 children.

Yea sure, but in a year he'll have enough manhood to go to war and drive heavy trucks and tanks.

[drydocker]

Does anyone want to bet against me? I will bet he was texting.