The Law on Towing: What You Need to Know

With the arrival of summer comes the higher traffic resulting from families embarking on holiday journeys. Many of those families will be enjoying caravan holidays in their favourite destinations. Unfortunately, the increased traffic also increases the likelihood of very serious crashes involving caravans and tow vehicles. Summer is a time to be extra diligent about driving safely on motorways and dual carriageways.

If you are planning to tow a caravan this summer, you can enhance your overall safety by knowing and obeying the law. Please understand that the law on towing in the UK is very strict. It has been set up to protect the safety of all drivers, not to punish caravan owners.

Having said that, here is what you need to know about the law on towing:

• Driving Licences – You must hold a full car licence in order to tow any sort of trailer. However, the law deals differently with individual drivers according to a number of factors. You may need a special licence depending on: when you earned your car licence and the total weight of your combined caravan and tow vehicle. Details are available on the GOV.UK website.

• Trailer Dimensions and Weights – The law provides very specific requirements for trailer dimensions and weights. For example, a tow vehicle of up to 3500 kg GVW is limited to trailers of no more than 7m (length) by 2.55m (width). The weight and dimension restrictions are in place in order to make sure drivers do not mismatch tow vehicles and trailers.

• Speed Limits – Different tow vehicle and trailer combinations are subject to varying speed limits depending on the type of roadway being used. For example, cars towing standard caravans are limited to a speed of 60 mph on motorways. They can only travel 50 mph on single carriageways.

• Driver Responsibility – Drivers are required by law to carry out the safe operation of their vehicles at all times. Where towing a trailer is concerned, part of a driver’s responsibility is to conduct a proper safety inspection before embarking on a journey. Failing to do so could lead to substantial penalties as a result of an accident.

Consider Regular Training

The law on towing in the UK is fairly straightforward. Here at the HGV Training Centre, we recommend regular training in order to keep you apprised of the law. Regular training also helps you to brush up on your skills at the start of every season. Of course, training is a requirement if your tow vehicle and caravan combination require a special licence.

The HGV Training Centre offers towing courses throughout the UK at more than 45 locations. Our training is offered by highly qualified professionals whom we believe are among the best in the business. We will train you in the safe operation of tow vehicles, what qualifies as a proper safety inspection, and more. Our number one goal is to make sure you are the best driver you can be.