One of the great challenges of driving an RV today is seeing the traffic on each side and behind you. Since our RV takes up most of the width of the driving lane it becomes more important to know when another vehicle is overtaking us or to be able to see our own towed vehicle following behind. The right hand side mirror is often partially blocked by the front awning arm, and the convex mirror does not always show us the small car that has snuck up only a foot away under our passenger's window.

In the past many motorhomes had a rear window that allowed us to use the rear view mirror to see objects behind us with the use of a supplemental wide-angle lens stuck to the bedroom window. Very few new Class A motorhomes have a rear window.

A video camera mounted on the back of your motorhome, trailer or 5th wheel helps eliminate the blind spot and offers a great view of vehicles in the lane on each side behind your RV and any other vehicles that are following in the same lane. The original units produced were black and white video cameras wired to a TV style monitor mounted above the dash. With a wide-angle lens, the camera would show you a view from the rear bumper to several hundred feet behind. These were excellent for backing up so that you could see potential problems and prevent backing into a fence post, tree or children's bicycles that had been left lying around the campsite. Modern units produce a full colour picture. No longer do you have to open the driver's door and try to lean way out to see what is behind you, or listen to directions from someone standing behind the RV who is often invisible.

Video camera backup systems normally turn on when the vehicle is in reverse gear, but many drivers have them active at all times during driving to be able to watch the towed car behind the motorhome or to see oncoming traffic. They allow a view of up to 115 degrees horizontal and 90 degrees in the vertical view.

Some cameras have a tilt switch that allows the driver to switch from a view down to the rear bumper, to a view of the traffic behind the RV. Most have a day/night switch to compensate for the different levels of illumination during the day. For backing up at night, some camera systems are equipped with high intensity infrared lamps for a clearer picture. Many screens have markings on the glass to indicate how far back an object is from your back bumper.

Older camera units used vidicon technology that was installed in a round weatherproof casing pressurized to prevent moisture from entering the electronics. They were sensitive to light changes between day and night, and the picture often was washed out by following headlights shining on the camera lens. Newer units use CCD technology similar to digital cameras that operate with lower voltages and produces a much more defined picture with automatic light level sensing and the ability to produce a useable picture even in light conditions as low as 1 Lux. (Top)

The video monitor is usually mounted above the windshield, on top of the dash, or imbedded into the dash. We find in our test vehicles that when the monitor is either in the dash or on top of it, the light from the sun shining in a side window can blank the picture out. When the monitor is above the windshield, less ambient light from the sun strikes the viewing surface, so it is easier to see the picture.

As more RVs are being equipped with navigation systems that operate from Global Positioning Systems (GPS) the rear view video picture is often integrated into the stereo radio, CD player mounted in the dash. At the touch of a button, the LCD screen moves out and up to the correct viewing position. Now with the touch of a button, you can listen to your favourite AM or FM stereo radio station, audiotape, CD, or even XM satellite radio. The GPS system can locate your position and display it as a map viewed on the LCD screen, or you can easily switch to rear view monitor. A few motorhomes that we have tested recently allow the rear view information to be switched to the large screen TV monitor above the windshield that you normally use for entertainment in the evening. This gives a much more detailed picture of what is happening behind you before an accident can occur.

The Sony and Audiovox backup camera systems also allows you to hear what is behind the motorhome or RV with a microphone. Most backup camera systems are installed at the factory as the wiring can be installed inside the roof during construction. Many RVs today can be ordered with the wiring pre-installed so that you can decide to add the rear view monitor system at a later time when more money is available. If the system only prevents one damage claim to your fibreglass bumper cover when you are backing up, it will pay for the system. Accidents don't happen when backing up; those collisions with fence posts and trees are caused by negligence since you did not check carefully what is behind your unit before reversing. (Top)