Touring caravan road safety tips
With an estimated 500,000 touring caravans in the UK and 1.5 million Brits taking caravan holidays every year, the nation’s favourite recreational vehicle is as commonplace as ever on our roads and motorways. It’s certainly a relief to know that there are few accidents involving leisure vehicles in the UK. However, making sure your touring caravan, towing vehicle and driving skills are up to scratch is paramount to safeguarding you, your passengers and other road users.
There are many safety factors to consider when taking your touring caravan on the road. This touring caravan safety advice will help you make the most out of your caravanning experience whilst remaining safe and road legal.
Check your driving licence
The type and size of touring caravan you can legally tow depends on when you passed your UK driving test. For example, if you passed your test after 1st January 1997 you may need to take an additional driving test in order to tow a touring caravan or drive a motorhome with, for example, a combined weight of over 3,500kg. If you’re unsure, contact the DVLA for further advice.
Make sure you have the right towing equipment
If your car was first used after 1st August 1998 your tow bar needs to be type approved – this should be indicated on the label. You’ll need towing mirrors if your touring caravan is wider than your car (it probably will be!) and beware that failure to use them where required can result in 3 points on your licence and a fine of up to £1000. And if your trailer weighs over 750 kg, it’ll need its own braking system. In fact, if you don’t comply with any of these regulations you’ll be unsafe on the road and liable to prosecution!
Know your car’s maximum towing weight
Your car will have a maximum weight that it can tow, known as the gross train weight. You can find this out by checking the handbook, or in many cases it’s written on the vehicle identification number plate on the car. Remember that towing a vehicle that is too heavy for the car can be extremely dangerous.
Perform regular tyre checks
Touring caravan tyres are liable to wear and are a crucial factor in your touring caravan’s safety. The NCC recommends that tyres are replaced 7 years after the manufacture date, as a minimum. You should check tyre pressures before every journey and assess them for abnormalities, removing any stones, dirt or grit – many of the accidents involving touring caravans are caused by incorrectly inflated or badly maintained tyres. Most modern caravans will feature a plate that contains vital information including the Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass (MTPLM), Mass in Running Order (MRO), approved tyre size and recommended caravan tyre pressures for your specific caravan. It’s imperative that you find out the correct information for your caravan and do not rely on that of a similar model. Always use specialist caravan tyres on your touring caravan – car tyres are not designed to bear as much load and can be dangerous.
Get the right insurance
Make sure you get specialist touring caravan insurance. Most car insurance policies will only offer you third-party cover, which could prove disastrous in the event of an accident. Companies such as Shield offer cost-effective touring caravan insurance that will be suited to your needs.