With caravanning now almost as popular as it was in the 1960s heyday, we’re also seeing a downside and that’s an increase in accidents involving caravans on the road, which has led the police to issue advice about towing and taking heed to weather conditions!
While caravan advice may have seemed common sense during the last century, as more people chose foreign breaks, we saw fewer people gaining experience in towing caravans. Modern cars don’t require much thought to drive in any weather condition but adding in a caravan to the mix changes things much more than many people seem to realise.
In the last 12 months the police have reported a marked increase in the number of road accidents involving caravans, and nearly all of these have been caused in wet conditions!
While your modern car may handle wet roads very well, leaving you able to drive pretty much the same way as you would in the dry, caravans simply don’t have the same grip on wet roads. They slip and slide, and can swing into the paths of other vehicles, which is highly dangerous and in the event of an accident, destroys not only lives but your expensive camping dream too.
Just this week a crash in Norfolk involved a caravan on wet slippery roads, and we’re likely to see many more over the summer. The problem is exacerbated in the summer when dry conditions seal oil onto the road surfaces, slight drizzle on the surface can make the roads very slippery, and this can be a real issue for anyone towing.
Wet roads, high winds and travelling too fast can all be huge problems if you’re also towing a caravan, so don’t forget if you’ve found a fun new hobby and are planning a staycation in your new caravan this summer, adjust your driving accordingly and keep you, your family and everyone else on the roads safe.
By: Kath Cross
