Popularity of Caravanning Means Towing Lessons More Important Than Ever

UK holidaymakers are thrilled to see more and more people willing to get out there and travel for the holidays. They are also thrilled to be part of the emergence of the ‘staycation’ and its subsequent influence on caravanning. By all accounts, caravan bookings continue to rise throughout Britain, at both well-established parks and their newer counterparts.

The popularity of caravanning is definitely good for the economy. However, we should not ignore that it also means towing lessons are more important than ever. Traffic statistics clearly show an increase in road crashes during the earliest months of the annual holiday season. Some of this is due to drivers taking their caravans and trailers on the roads for the first time after the winter hiatus.

New caravanners are especially susceptible to crashes due to their unfamiliarity with safe towing practices. This is one of the reasons that police agencies recommend people take advantage of towing lessons prior to the start of the travel season. Towing lessons are an affordable way to brush up on one’s skills, including braking, cornering, and backing.

More than one caravan owner has discovered that driving his or her vehicle or towing a trailer is significantly more challenging than operating a passenger vehicle. First and foremost is the weight issue. Because caravans and trailers are so much heavier, they are more difficult to handle and control. The difficulty is experienced in different ways, depending on speed and manoeuvring. Nevertheless, it is more difficult than driving a car under any circumstance.

New caravan owners should absolutely take towing lessons before taking to the road. A good training course will teach the owner how to conduct a pre-trip inspection, hook and unhook safely, drive safely on the open road, and manoeuvre his or her caravan or trailer in tight spaces. Even veteran drivers can benefit from such training in that it sharpens driving skills and brings back to remembrance things that might have been forgotten.

Special Licenses

The average caravan owner will not need a special licence in order to drive legally. However, a special licence is needed if your vehicle and trailer combination exceeds a certain weight. You can check with the government or contact us at the HGV Training Centre if you have questions about licencing.

If you do need a special licence, we can provide the training necessary to prepare you for your trailer-towing test. Our training is conducted by experienced professionals capable of teaching you everything you need to learn to drive safely. We will even send a trainer with you on the day of your final test.

The HGV Training Centre also provides commercial driver training for all classes of vehicles. We can train you to earn your licence as a lorry driver, bus or coach operator, heavy construction equipment operator, or van driver. We train individuals and fleet drivers at more than 45 locations throughout the UK. Feel free to call us for pricing and scheduling details.

Sources:

Caravan Times – http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/news/holidays/surge-in-caravan-bookings-continues-$21384553.htm