You do what you can to secure and lock-up your home…but do you do enough to protect your “home away from home”? This article highlights 16 RV security tips and RV safety tips to help keep you and your RV safe and secure.
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There is a saying that door locks only keep out the good people. “Bad” people will find a way.
Meaning that a determined thief may succeed, but we need to find a way to reduce the odds of that happening.
RV Security Products and RV Safety Gear and Tips
Below are ways you can help protect your RV from thieves, and tips to help protect your family and ensure safe RV’ing. You may already some of this gear but it is good to go over these RV security tips and safety tips just in case.
1) Hitch Locks
If you tow a trailer (or boat), at some time it’ll be detached from your tow vehicle.
Are you securing your trailer from thieves?
A hitch lock like the one shown below (by Master Lock) attaches and locks to the trailer’s coupler preventing thieves from hooking it up to their vehicle.
Click here to see details of the MasterLock hitch lock on Amazon.
Below is another popular trailer coupler lock. This one is made by Reese Towpower.
2) Wheel Locks (Wheel “Boots”)
Wheel locks, or tire boots, clamp around your tire to prevent someone from taking your vehicle or trailer.
In the product photo below (which looks Photoshopped) you can see the general idea of these devices. It is another theft deterrent.
3) Propane Tank Locks and Battery Lock Box
You don’t want to get to your campsite to discover your propane tanks were stolen at your last pit stop.
You can help secure your LP tanks by using a tank lock, like the one made by Bauer Products. Click here to see it on their website.
Plus, there are companies that make battery lock boxes such as the one shown below.
4) Motion Sensor Lights
A motion activated outdoor light might just be enough to startle and deter would-be thieves from rummaging around your campsite.
5) RV Security Cameras
The price of outdoor surveillance cameras has become so reasonable in the last few years.
We can now have High Definition security cameras for our home and RV’s that only large corporations would have been able to afford years ago.
Below is an outdoor HD camera that you’ll hear a lot about in the RV world. it is the Argus 2 model with a Solar Panel by Reolink.
It records onto a SD card, and if you have WiFi at your campsite or storage facility it will send a copy to the cloud.
Plus, if you have WiFi you could use the 2-way audio capability, and the Reolink app to watch the camera on your smart phone or computer.
“Hey! Get the hell away from my trailer!”
And check out this video where the couple from “Fate Unbound” discuss RV security and outdoor cameras.
Change your RV Door Locks into Keyless Fob Locks
The company “RVLock” makes this RV lock replacement that has keyless entry and a fob to go on your keychain.
If you’re thinking of changing your RV door lock, check out this popular option. Want to see what others think about it?
6) Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS)
A tire blow-out while driving down the highway is not fun.
A tire pressure monitoring system provides peace of mind while cruising down the road because sensors screwed onto each tire’s valve stem continuously transmits tire pressure to a monitor in the cab.
You can monitor the tires’ pressure and temperature, and watch for changes.
Here is a link to a popular TPMS available on Amazon made by EezTire.
The guys at RVgeeks have a video about this TPMS.
7) Fire Extinguishers
Do you have adequate fire extinguishing equipment in your RV?
If you’re camping in the woods you may be miles away from a fire department.
You’ll have to rely on your own abilities and equipment to suppress a fire.
Are you prepared?
This article from RVTechMag provides some great information about fire suppression for your RV.
8) Carbon monoxide detectors and Smoke Detectors
It is important to have a carbon monoxide detector anytime you’re burning fossil fuels in your RV or trailer. (Such as in most RV fridges, furnaces, water heaters, generators, and engines.)
[Remember carbon monoxide (or ‘CO’) is the “Silent Killer.” You can’t smell or detect it in the air, yet it can be fatal. Get a CO detector.]
And it is important to always have a smoke detector.
But make sure you check your batteries.
If you want more information on choosing a smoke detector or CO detector for your RV, check out this article from Trailer Life magazine.
And that article from Trailer Life magazine brings up a couple other good points concerning Carbon Monoxide:
- Don’t heat your RV with your stove
- Don’t use a barbecue or charcoal grill in your RV or tent
Here is a link to a Smoke Alarm/Carbon Monoxide combination detector made by Kidde available on Amazon. What’s cool is that it has voice alerts. It’ll shout at you. It shouts “Fire!” , “Warning! Carbon Monoxide!” , “Low Battery”.
9) Know your Escape Plan from your RV
If you have a fire in your RV, does everyone in your family know the escape plan?
Have you planned one yet?
If not, do it.
And practice it.
10) Lights or Reflective Tape for RV Stairs
It is never fun to trip and hurt yourself on stairs.
And this is especially true if you’re camping hours away from medical help.
Improve the visibility of your stairs by putting reflective tape or lights on and around the stairs going into your RV.
Here is a link to some rechargeable LED light strips available on Amazon.
11) Don’t Leave Food Outside
Leaving food (even dog food) outside can attract unwanted animals to your campsite.
So to avoid having skunks, bears, raccoons and other critters sniffing around your campsite, make sure to bring all your food inside at night.
12) Keep your Vehicle Key Fob Close at Hand
Keep your vehicle’s key fob close at hand.
Because, if you have an emergency of some kind (such as intruders, falls or other medical mishaps) you can press the “Alarm” button to alert attention from nearby campers.
13) Double Check your Trailer Connection
If you stop for gas, pit stops or picture taking at a beautiful viewpoint, make sure you double check your trailer connection before heading back out onto the road.
This extra check will ensure nothing has come loose and it hasn’t been tampered with.
14) Non-Slip Grip Tape for your RV stairs
Camco makes this grip tape that you can apply to your RV stairs to help provide some extra traction. This particular roll is yellow and black (which I think improves visibility), but you can also buy a roll of pure black tape.
You can probably find this at your local RV supply store, but if you want to see more details now, you can click here to see it on Amazon.
15) Add extra lock to your RV door – DIY Safety
As an extra security measure some folks install an extra lock on the inside of their RV doors, or screen doors.
Even an extra ‘barrel lock’ like you can find at Home Depot or other hardware stores will provide you some extra protection.
I found this photo below on Instagram where these folks installed a deadbolt on their RV exterior door instead of the previous latch.
16) First Aid Kit
When you’re camping sometimes “things” happen. We cut ourselves. We burn ourselves. We scrape our knees. And on and on…
Do you have a first aid kit in your RV to deal with these situations?
Below is a popular basic first aid kit that is available on Amazon.
Having a first aid kit, and knowing how to use it are different. If you’re in the bush and away from immediate medical attention you should take some first aid classes. You never know when you may need that knowledge.
Along with a first aid kit, don’t forget to include your prescription medications. And you may want to consider including some antihistamines (allergy medicines) in case anyone in your party has a mild allergic reaction. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for recommendations.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of RV security and RV safety gear and tips.
Check out these other RV’ing articles:
- 61 RV Storage Ideas and RV Organization Ideas
- RV’ing with your Dog (Tips and Gear)
- 12 Cozy and Clever Camping Chairs
What other RV security items or RV safety tips need to be added to this list? Please let our other readers know by commenting below.
Thank you and have a safe and happy camping trip.
