If there is one thing we know here at Towsure, it is towing… I mean, it’s in our name! So, it only seems right to pass our knowledge on and give the towing newbies some tips on to tow a trailer or caravan safely and successfully.
Check your license
What most don’t realise is that you can tow with your ordinary driving license, you are just limited on how much. With a standard category B (car and small vehicle) license, you can legally tow up to 750kg or more, as long as the weight plus the weight of your car is under 3,500kg.
If you want to tow anything more than what is legal, you will have to take an additional test. Find out more information here.
Don’t overload it
Now that you know how much you can tow, its time to load up. Just remember to not overload it, or load items that are too tall, long or wide. A general rule to follow is to keep the loaded weight under 85% of the car’s standard weight (without anything or anyone inside) – this can be found in your vehicle handbook.
The equipment
If you are planning on towing anything, whether it be a trailer or a caravan, you may need to invest in some equipment to keep yourself and what you are towing safe. If your load is wide or tall, you should fit some extended towing mirrors to your wing mirrors so you can see behind and around you.
If the weight of the load is more than 750kg, you will also need to make sure your caravan or trailer has brakes fitted.
Driving
With you fully loaded and decked out in equipment, its time to get driving. Whilst there isn’t much of a difference between driving and driving whilst towing, there are still things you need to consider. For instance, your speed. When driving whilst towing, the faster you go the more unstable what you are towing becomes. If you feel like you are losing control of what you are towing, slow down. Still unsure and what speed you should stick to? Find out more here.
But its not all about speed. If you have to go around any corners or roundabouts, go as wide as possible. This will stop your trailer or caravan wheels mounting the curb and tipping over.
Safety
Like with anything in life, there are safety measures to keep you and others on the road safe whilst you are towing. Firstly, strap everything in the caravan down. The last thing you want is to open your caravan to find everything all over the place. Similarly, don’t let any passengers or pets travel in the back of the caravan in case the caravan tips or you have a crash.
If you are towing a trailer, there are also safety precautions you should take. You should always keep your load as low as possible and secure it with ropes, tarpaulin, or tie downs. That way, you wont cause a spillage or lose any of your load on your trip.
