Source: Mental Health Australia
Caravan owners are invited to take advantage of free online and on-site caravan and towing safety workshops and weighing days aimed at making our roads safer for all users.
In the lead-up to the Christmas holidays, Transport for NSW will host caravan weighing days in Wentworth, Balranald and Mudgee in addition to an online caravan safety session that owners can join from anywhere in the state.
Transport for NSW Acting Executive Director Partnerships and Integration West Holly Davies said caravanning was a great way to get out and see our country but drivers had to be aware of the increased risks that came with towing a caravan.
“Driving while towing a caravan is quite different to normal driving, even for drivers with plenty of years of experience behind them,” Ms Davies said.
“Towing a caravan requires a higher level of knowledge and skill, a need for greater stopping distances, and consideration of environmental factors such as high winds, wet roads and uneven surfaces.
“We’ve run a number of these online education sessions that aim to take some of the stress and confusion out of towing, especially for people who are new to caravanning, and we’ve always had a good response.
“The content includes information on safe towing, weight limits and electronic braking systems, and an explanation of many of the abbreviations associated with caravanning and towing such as ATM, GVM and GCM, including what they are and how weights are calculated.
“The virtual workshop will focus on caravans but the information being delivered could also apply to towing boats, horse floats and car trailers.”
In addition, Transport for NSW is running a series of free caravan weighing days to give owners greater peace of mind that they are operating their caravans safely and are complying with the law.
“Whatever you’re towing, the significant addition of weight to your vehicle requires careful planning and loading, as well as putting extra responsibilities on the driver to manage safety,” Ms Davies said.
“There have been many crashes involving caravans on NSW roads. To lower your risk of being involved in a crash, the virtual and on-site events will offer advice on how to load and weigh a caravan and drive safely while towing one.
“Non-compliance with towing and weights can affect caravan insurance cover and those that don’t comply with safe loading laws also risk being fined.”
The online safety workshop will run from 7pm on Monday 17 November, featuring a one-hour presentation followed by a half-hour question-and answer session. Registration is free at https://www.trybooking.com/DHFBH.
The on-site caravan weighing days will be at:
More information on safe caravanning is available here.