Recreational Vehicles & Safety Regulations

A potential increase of recreational vehicle (RV) use during the pandemic has raised some safety concerns over how drivers should be prepared. While Missouri does not have specific regulations for RV driver’s licensing requirements, some states mandate requirements, often based on vehicle weight. The overall effectiveness of these requirements is relatively unexplored.

Highlights

• Thirteen states have licensing requirements for drivers of large vehicles, generally over 26,000 lbs, which can apply to some larger RVs.
• Beyond licensing, other potential safety requirements for trailers include safety chains, brake, and lighting requirements.

Limitations

• There is a lack of research on the effectiveness of licensing requirements for promoting safety for RV drivers.