Spring the Perfect Time for Caravan Towing Course

An alarming video published on the website of the West Sussex County Times on April 15 makes a very strong case for caravan owners to take appropriate training before embarking on their journeys this spring and summer. The video shows a pickup truck towing a caravan that suddenly begins to swerve. The driver, unable to control his caravan, ends up crashing on the side of the road. The main theme of the video and its accompanying news story is one of caravan safety. From our perspective, spring is the perfect time for a caravan-towing course, regardless of how experienced you are.

Andy Whithington of the local Highways Agency told the West Sussex County Times that the spring and summer are the peak times for towing related accidents on local roads. He specifically referenced the Easter holidays as the time when caravan owners hook up their vehicles for the first time at the start of the new season. He recommends owners perform all the necessary safety checks before embarking.

According to the West Sussex County Times, one or more of the following cause the majority of towing related accidents:

• tyre failure
• caravan overloading
• poor load-balancing
• mismatch between caravan in towing vehicle
• improper towing techniques.

An annual caravan-towing course combined with appropriate safety checks is all that’s needed to significantly reduce the risk of being in an accident. We urge caravan owners to inspect their vehicles before hooking up for the first time in the spring. We also urge follow-up inspections before every journey. Owners should be looking for worn tyres, worn brakes, and hubs that are not functioning properly.

When you are ready to embark on your journey, please pay attention to speed limits at all times. Also, remember that you need greater braking distance between your vehicle and one in front of you. Finally, make sure you use wide-angle mirrors that give you maximum view of the road behind you.

We Offer Training

You may recognise the HGV Training Centre as one of the leading providers of commercial driver training in the UK. And that we are. However, we also offer a comprehensive caravan-towing course for non-commercial drivers looking to brush up on their skills in the spring. We even offer training courses for owners whose caravans require an enhanced licence due to the combined size and weight of their vehicles.

To learn more about our caravan-towing course, feel free to contact us anytime. We teach caravan owners all of the important skills they need to learn, including manoeuvring their vehicles in tight spaces, reversing with trailers, proper braking and turning techniques, proper load balancing, hooking and unhooking, and how to conduct a safety inspection. Our goal is to make sure you are not only safe on the road, but also that you are comfortable as well.

The HGV Training Centre operates more than 45 facilities around the UK. Contact us to enrol in a caravan-towing course at a location near you.

Sources:

West Sussex County Times – http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/local/video-cctv-clip-shows-the-importance-of-being-prepared-for-towing-1-6002635