THE DRIVING Standards Agency and The Caravan Club have joined forces to advise British motorists returning to caravanning to brush up on their driving and towing skills before taking to the roads this summer.
The credit crunch is encouraging holiday makers to return to caravanning as a more cost effective alternative to their usual summer breaks. Figures released by The Caravan Club indicate bookings are up 40 per cent this year.
“Anyone who has not towed a caravan for a number of years should make sure they are familiar with any changes that may have taken place before they get in the driver’s seat. Handling, manoeuvring and vision is different for a driver when towing,†said DSA’s Chief Driving Examiner Trevor Wedge.
The Caravan Club offers both caravan and motorhome training courses for drivers who want to brush up on their skills before they set off on holiday. They are welcoming new members and people returning to the activity but recommend – along with DSA – that some things need to be checked:
- if you passed your test before 1997, you will be allowed to drive any car, and tow any caravan (weighing up to a combined maximum allowable mass of 8250kg). But for drivers who passed their test after January 1997 there are additional restrictions and they may need to take a further driving test in order to tow the largest car/caravan outfits
- caravans have tended to become heavier over the years. Make sure your car and caravan are an appropriate match or your combination could be unsafe or even illegal
- make sure you are familiar with new technology features, such as stability control systems
- check your car and caravan electrical connector and find an adaptor if the connectors are not the same at each end
Source: DSA website
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