Safest Location for Propane?

[dzzz]

On a sportsmobile, the propane tank is behind the outer frame rail. But the floor appears to be cut, as opposed to the tank being located completely under the vehicle. Perhaps there's a DOT regulation that the tank needs to be protected by being centered on the rail. But it seems to me that in a side impact a ruptured tank might allow propane into the vehicle.
I wonder if a safer location isn't underneath and inboard from the rail. Allowing crush space from a side impact.
What are considered safer locations? What do European countries require? I do require heat part of the year, and diesel is not an option.

 

[Sportsman Matt]

Usually the tanks mounted to frames have to be DOT approved for several criteria, one being survivability in an impact. I agree that they should be mounted inboard of the frame, but refilling may be an issue as most propane places that fill rv tanks require that they be accessable from the side and mounted for easy access to hook up the filling valve and hoses. Most RV's I refilled with the built in tanks had a cover or hatch over the tank to keep crud out of the hook up area, and were mounted outside the frame, as to mount them inside would require climbing underneath or into a compartment to access the tank if mounted inside the frame of the motorhome.

In a side impact, more than likely the tank will fall away from the vehicle if it becomes damaged at the mounts, and the propane tank should be off when driving anyways (some states have laws concerning the use of propane accessories when driving, and some states prohibit LP tanks in vehicles going into tunnels or under bridges)

I wouldn't lose sleep over the LP tank location if installed by a manufacturer, and I wouldn't be worrying about the propane tank in a side impact hard enough to rupture the tank, as a hit that hard would have me wondering more about living through the personal injuries sustained from an accident that bad.

Good luck