Think About Towing Lessons Now – Don’t Wait Until Spring

Winter officially arrives in the northern hemisphere on December 21 with the start of the winter solstice. Most of us are already scheming about ways to stay indoors and enjoy the warmth and comfort of home. Thoughts of spring haven’t even begun to enter our minds at this point. However, if you are planning to tow a trailer of any kind when the snow eventually melts, you need to start thinking about towing lessons now. Do not wait until spring to make arrangements or you may have difficulty getting into a class.

The HGV Training Centre offers towing lessons at all of our facilities around the UK. We train horse owners, caravan owners, and even contractors who need to tow cargo trailers as part of their work. Our lessons are just what you need to tow safely and, if necessary, pass the required practical skills test to earn an additional entitlement.

Speaking of entitlements, do you know what the regulations are regarding towing trailers? Many people don’t. Some do not find out until they are stopped by police who inform them that they are towing illegally. Here’s what you need to know about towing and licencing:

• Category B Licence – Only those who earned a Category B licence prior to 1 January 1997 can legally tow trailers in excess of 750 kg with vehicles of up to 3500 kg. Even they are restricted inasmuch as the total combined weight of both vehicles cannot exceed 7,000 kg. Everyone else must get a B+E entitlement if they wish to tow trailers that, combined with the tow vehicles, exceed 4,250 kg.

• B+E Entitlement – A B+E entitlement affords drivers the same legal rights as Category B licence holders under the previous category. They can tow trailers and caravans heavier than 750 kg as long as the combined weight of both vehicles is no greater than 7 tonnes.

In order to get the B+E entitlement, a driver must take and pass a practical skills test administered by a government tester. There is no theory test involved; the government considers the theory test taken for the Category B licence sufficient. Nonetheless, passing the practical skills test is not easy.

We Can Train You to Pass

Because driver training is all we do, we are intimately familiar with what is required of drivers taking the trailer test. We know exactly what examiners are looking for and how to prepare drivers to perform up to standard. Simply put, we can train you to pass the trailer test on the first try.

Towing lessons provided by the HGV Training Centre prepare drivers for the trailer test by teaching them the necessary skills to pass. We teach students how to handle their trailers, conduct controlled stops, manoeuvre in tight spaces, and safely navigate corners. We also teach drivers indirect skills such as coupling and uncoupling, performing walkaround checks, and maintaining proper fluid levels. If the student will be tested on it, we teach it.

Sources:

1. NiDirect – https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cars-towing-trailers-or-caravans