by Joe Jeffrey
With the bank holiday weekend upon us, many of us will embark upon a mission to escape the normality of our bricked abodes in an attempt to reach for sunnier, less gloomy climes. So, if you’re thinking of making the most of what the holiday has to offer, and escaping with the caravan in tow, we’ve provided you with our top towing tips to see you on your way.
- Know the weight of your caravan – your caravan’s weight should not exceed 85 per cent of the car’s kerb weight. We’re sure you know this, along with the other tips to follow, but excess weight will cause instability and instability will cause problems!
- Check that your caravan is secure before pulling away, and also check again during any rest stops. Look for anything loose, disconnected, or broken – yes again, we know you’re not stupid, but it’s better to be safe than sorry right?!
- Make sure your extra rear lights are in working order and connected properly. Get someone to have a look while you test them out. Oh, and remember to secure your illuminated number plate too – bank holidays are known for being grey and dull after all.
- Under pressure to reach your bank holiday destination of choice? Let’s hope your tyres are too. Make sure you check the pressure of them, bearing in mind the tyres on your caravan too!
- Remember, reduced speed limits apply when towing caravans so take it easy out there, and also remember to respect vehicles following you by allowing them to pass.
- Stopping distances and the space between you and other vehicles should be increased appropriately, allowing for the extra weight you’re carrying. You should also allow more time for overtaking, positioning yourself for turns, parking, pulling into traffic streams, and joining and leaving motorways… Oh, you know the rest!
- Use your mirrors frequently – the fact you’ve lost the use of your rear view mirror makes extended door mirrors very useful. Extended towing mirrors aren’t a legal requirement, but they are handy when reversing or overtaking.
Everyone here at CaravanTimes wishes you a safe bank holiday. Happy caravanning folks!
