FEATURE: What to do if you break down with your caravan in tow

by Damien Sharkov
Surprises are never far from fact on a caravan holiday and sometimes chance throws a spanner in the works of a good break.
Whether you are just getting around to planning your spring getaway or you are already contemplating a Valentine’s Day trip, the next few months will not be the most welcoming for a caravan holiday.
In the interest of keeping you safe, we at CaravanTimes have compiled a quick list of tips to keep you safe if you break down.
Stay within contact
It goes without saying that you should keep your membership number and the phone number of your breakdown insurance provider on you at all times when you are travelling.
Simply saving both on your phone is an easy way of going about it. Do visit your insurer’s website as some, like AA, now have free mobile phone apps which make tracking your whereabouts in the case of a breakdown much easier.
You can use your phone’s GPS to the same end, advises the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
Check your coverage
Caravanners must remember to double check their breakdown insurance coverage. Sometimes your towcar cover will not extend to your home away from home.
The likes of the RAC offer quotes based on the width of the vehicle in tow as they will need to know what truck to send to pull you out of trouble.
A firm awareness of how extensive your quote is can be useful to any motorist as you may have made upgrades to your vehicle which could impact on other insurance policies.
Be prepared
Sometimes you will have to go up against the elements, so there is no reason why you should not carry a little emergency kit.
Have high visibility jackets handy, preferably waterproof one. A torch is easy to pack and could do a world of difference if you breakdown in the dark.
Know your surroundings
Even if you are visiting the patch you have been going to for years on end you can end up feeling lost when stranded between points A and B.
If you are, it is important to keep calm. You will always be within 100 meters at most from your nearest marker post or 500 meters from every square blue sign on the motorway.
Always get out of the vehicle on the left hand side and make sure everyone else does so too. Make sure to wear your high visibility clothing, in case you run into fog or it gets dark before your rescue arrives.
Try as we might, no optimism will change the reality that daylight hours will be few and far in between for a while. Of course if caravanning was all simplicity and no challenge, it might just be no fun. If you do decide to set for a cosy plot so early in the year, make sure to take the extra precautions necessary so the season does not get in the way of your holiday.
How do you brace your caravan or motorhome for a winter holiday? Do you have any tips for early spring holidaymakers? Tell us in the comment section below!