- Author
-
Wojcik, C. K.
|
Mellinger, R. L.
- Title
- Pilot Study of Housetrailer and Truck Camper Safety. Phase 2. Final Report.
- Coporate
- California Univ., Los Angeles
- Sponsor
- California Department of Public Works, Sacramento
- Report
-
UCLA ENG 7084
December 1971
186 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- B-1-44
- Keywords
-
safety
|
accidents
|
data analysis
|
surveys
|
tunnel tests
|
wind tunnels
- Identifiers
- housetrailers; recreation vehicles; wind tunnel models
- Abstract
- The objective of Phase 2 of this study were to investigate the safety and performance characteristics of housetrailers and truck campers. These objectives were attained by means of accident data collection and analysis, a mail survey of California housetrailer owners, and wind tunnel testing of truck camper models. The accident data in the form of accident reports came from three sources: the California Highway Patrol, the New Mexico State Highway Department, and the Department of Transport, Ontario, Canada. The analyses of these reports show a high percentage of single vehicle accidents among the housetrailers and truck campers, which indicates that these vehicles may have handling and control problems. On the other hand, these vehicles show low rates of accident involvement in terms of milage exposure, at least in the California sample. The data gathered in the wind tunnel tests indicate that relatively large aerodynamic forces are involved in truck camper operations.