Trailer Towing Lessons: Keep Yourself Out of Legal Trouble

An 83-year-old pensioner from Wales was spared the most serious of punishments when the multiple traffic charges against him were combined into a single charge. Yet despite the mercy of the court, nothing changes the fact that the man was towing a trailer on public roads in a way that was extremely dangerous. He provides a very good example of how trailer-towing lessons could have made a difference.

According to the Cambrian News, Gwynedd resident George Evans was towing a trailer on the A487 this past April (2014) using a tow vehicle with at least two defective tyres. A further inspection revealed no breakaway chain, an inoperable trailer brake, and loose suspension pins on the trailer. The tow vehicle’s MOT had also expired several months earlier.

Magistrates were apparently unhappy that all of the defects were listed under a single charge, yet there was nothing they could do other than assess Evans three penalty points for the infractions. In addition to the points, he was fined £400 and assessed penalty costs of £125. He has since surrendered his licence on medical grounds.

It is unclear whether the driver in this case was ignorant of the law or willingly in violation of it. However, we believe that, in most cases, such infractions are due to ignorance. We believe towing lessons can go a long way in mitigating that ignorance and, as a result, improving road safety for all motorists.

Towing lessons offered by a competent company such as ours includes a review of the law as it relates to tow vehicles and trailers. Those taking towing lessons should be very familiar with the law by the time they finish. If they are not, it is still their responsibility to find the information they need to know to be in compliance. There is never an excuse for towing a trailer in an unsafe manner.

We Provide Towing Lessons

The HGV Training Centre is known mainly for providing commercial driver training throughout the UK. We are proud of that reputation, working hard to offer the highest quality training possible. Nevertheless, our training classes are not limited only to commercial drivers. We also conduct trailer towing lessons for individuals planning tow a caravan, horsebox trailer, or light utility trailer.

Now is the time to think about towing lessons if you are considering purchasing your first caravan in time for next year’s season. Although you will probably not need a special licence for your tow vehicle and trailer combination, lessons are still a good idea. Towing a trailer is a lot different from driving down the motorway in a car alone. Adding a trailer adds significant weight and presents handling challenges you may not be familiar with.

If your tow vehicle and trailer combination does require a special licence, our training is the perfect tool to prepare you to take your road test. We will teach you everything you need to learn to pass your test the first time.

Sources:

1. Cambrian News – http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/i/44954/