Travel safely with this towing advice from IAM RoadSmart and Caravan and Motorhome Club
With camping holidays undergoing a boom thanks to the fine summer weather, road safety specialist IAM RoadSmart has partnered up with the Caravan and Motorhome Club to offer some advice for a successful holiday trip with a caravan, trailer tent or camping trailer. Ensuring that you load the caravan or trailer correctly, and deal appropriately with other traffic can help ease the stress levels which might otherwise result, especially if you lack towing experience.
That includes making sure your caravan or trailer are roadworthy – particularly as many are parked up and unused over the winter.
- Before you start your trip you make sure you have checked both your car and caravan or trailer. Especially check your tyres as they should be inflated to the correct pressure, have a good amount of tread (no lower than 1.6mm) and be free from damage.
- The caravan breakaway cable (or safety chain on smaller unbraked trailers) should be in good condition and connected correctly. If you have a caravan or a large box-shaped trailer you will almost always need to fit extension mirrors – these will help make sure you have a good view behind you and comply with the law.
- Remember when loading your caravan or trailer to make sure it is not overloaded as this can put you at additional risk of instability, and mean you’re breaking the law. Ensure your heavy items are positioned correctly over the axle, low to the floor with lighter items higher up.
- Know your speed limits. In Ireland 80km/h is the maximum speed limit when towing a trailer or caravan, even on motorways. Additionally you should not use the right hand lane of a motorway with three lanes. In the UK including Northern Ireland, your speed limit when towing is 60 mph on dual carriageways and motorways and 50 mph on single carriageways, unless a lower overall limit applies.
- Be extra vigilant on downhill stretches as your speed can easily creep up and get too high – this is a common contributory factor to your caravan/trailer losing stability. Remember, you will need more room to stop when towing and you should always have a big enough gap to be able to slow down and stop in an emergency.
- Towing in high winds needs additional care and perhaps a change of route should be considered. However it’s not just windy days you need to be mindful of. Overtaking large vehicles can place you in their “bow wave” and this can cause instability of caravans which are badly loaded and/or being towed too fast.
Martin Spencer, technical manager at the Caravan and Motorhome Club says: “Towing a caravan or other trailer can be unfamiliar, but doesn’t need to be intimidating. By getting the basic set-up right, then following straightforward advice over issues such as speed and safety around other vehicles, towing can be relaxed, easy and comfortable. Above all, it will be safe.”
Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart added: “The advanced driving skills of observation, anticipation and planning are key to good towing. They will keep you a safe distance from the vehicle in front and help you predict problems ahead and around you. If you prepare yourself, your family and your vehicles for the road ahead your trip will be as relaxing as possible.”
