10 Essential Tips That Will Improve Your Towing Experience
Have you recently invested in or been gifted a towbar? Whether you are a confident driver or have a little trepidation about the entire towing process, this article is designed to provide you with some guidance and concepts that, if followed, will undoubtedly improve your towing expertise and experience.
1 Ensure That Your Driving License Permits You To Tow A Trailer
This potentially is an ever-increasing problem because the legislation in regard to towing changed relatively recently. Essentially, the key year for the big change was 1997. The rules now state that if you passed your driving test and gained your full driving licence before January 1st 1997 then you are entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination, that does not exceed 8250KG MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass). If you passed your test after the 1st January 1997, then you can tow a trailer that weighs up to 3500 KG. This is known as a category BE Vehicle. If your current driving licence does not show the BE category then fear not as the DVLA will add this to your license the next time you renew it. This is one of the technicalities that can get you in trouble so it's best to make sure you are fully aware of the law. If you are unsure about the weight of your vehicle or trailer then the friendly team at North West Towbars will be more than happy to advise.
2 Improve Your Skills Which Will Allow You To Tow A Heavier Caravan
Although the law says that you are qualified to tow a trailer it makes sense to undertake a little bit of professional training to upskill you and ensure that you are both competent and confident when towing a vehicle. Many driving organisations run these courses, or alternatively, you can always contact companies such as The Caravan Club who will either run their own courses or can point you in the right direction. At the end of the course, you will need to complete another driving test (The B + E Car and Trailer Test.
3 Patience is a Virtue Take Your Time
It is essential when you first start towing, be that a caravan or even a trailer, that you take your time, and become confident in the driving experience. Your vehicle will inevitably be bigger than what you are typically used to. In addition, common driving manoeuvres such as braking or accelerating will take much more time and need to be approached with caution.
4 Don’t Forget The Additional Length Of Your Vehicle
One of the things that drivers towing caravans can fall foul of initially is not taking into account the additional length of their vehicle. Most people consider this when parking or setting up at the caravan site, but the other perhaps more important issue is when you are driving.
This is because you need to take corners and roundabouts a lot wider; otherwise, you will be constantly clipping the kerbs.
Of course, over time, your spatial awareness and expertise will improve but you don’t want to cause too much damage to your caravan during the learning process!
5 Watch Your Speed
Were you aware that towing vehicles have more stringent speed restrictions than you may normally be used to? On a single-carriageway road, you are limited to 50MPH and on a dual carriageway, that increases but only to 60 MPH. Another potential gotcha is that on a dual carriageway, you are not allowed to drive in the outside lane when towing, so be careful.
6 Invest In Some Mirrors
The standard mirrors on any car are designed to provide coverage for the length of that car. They will, therefore not provide a sufficient view of anything you are towing, which is why it is important to invest in extension mirrors. However, one note of caution here, is that those mirrors need to be removed when you are not towing, as not many people realise that it is actually illegal to drive with extension mirrors fitted when not towing.
7 Don’t Transport Any Passengers In a Caravan Whilst Towing
However, it probably goes without saying it is illegal to transport any human passengers in a towed vehicle. Although there are no specific laws in relation to animals, our suggestion would also be to never put any animal in a towed vehicle however tempting that might be due to space restrictions.
8 Ensure You Have a Confirming Number Plate Securely Attached and Lit on Your Caravan
When you are towing any vehicle be that a trailer, a trailer tent or a caravan, you are legally obligated to have a fully conforming number plate that matches your car registration attached to the vehicle that is being towed. The number plate also needs to be wired into the electrical system in some shape or form as it must be capable of being lit during the early evening and night.
9 Electrical Systems
In addition to the number plate being lit, you also need to ensure that whatever vehicle you are towing is tied into your car's electrical systems in order to allow for the braking lights or indeed the indicators to work at the same time as your car. This is where having professional installation at a specialist such as North West towbars is essential, as sometimes fitting these systems can be quite technical. It is also good practice to check that all indicators and lighting work properly before setting off on every journey.
10 Don’t Forget Other Road Users
Some if not every driver has at some stage been stuck behind a tractor, bin lorry, or other slow-moving vehicle, and this seems to go on forever, particularly when you are in a rush to get somewhere. Many of the caravan sites or parks will be down smaller country lanes which further exacerbates the problem.
If you are towing a caravan on one of these roads, keep an eye on the amount of vehicles behind you and where possible if you can pull over into a passing-type area to allow those following vehicles to pass you. Believe me, they will certainly appreciate your good road manners.
For all of your towbar needs or questions, the friendly customer service team at NorthWest Towbars are always happy to advise or help. Call them today on 0161 474 7474