How to Safely Tow Your Second Hand Caravan

A second hand caravan is a great economical choice for your first recreational vehicle. Towing, however, usually presents some problems for the inexperienced driver. Driving with a second hand caravan is very different to driving a normal car as it requires more intensive concentration and a whole new set of skills. Here, we have collected some tips to make towing a little easier on your first trip.

Follow the Road Rules: First of all, check up how much weight you are legally allowed to carry with your second hand caravan, as there are national laws governing this. If you are travelling interstate then you should make note of when you pass into a different state and change your speed accordingly. In Tasmania there is a 90km per hour speed limit, whereas in the Northern Territory some roads have no limit at all, but you should be aware of how the extra weight affects how fast you can drive safely.

Learn Towing Skills: It is important that you learn how to tow your second hand caravan before leaving for your holiday. Learning as you go can cause a lot of stress and embarrassment, ruining the holiday for everyone. Remember also that you will not always be driving on a smooth asphalt road in perfect weather conditions; even if you don't plan on going off-road, simply reversing into a bay at a camp site presents enough challenges for the beginner. Learning safe towing skills will also ensure that you and your family are much safer on your camping holiday.

Road Courtesy: As a beginner to towing a heavy second hand caravan, it is understandable if you want, or need, to drive a bit slower than the other vehicles on the road. However, you should understand that not everyone is on holiday and that having a large vehicle block up the flow of traffic on a highway can be extremely annoying. You should therefore regularly pull over to let traffic through on busy roads.

Allow for the Weight of your Caravan: Because towing anything adds considerable weight to your vehicle, the response time of your car's acceleration and braking is significantly compromised. You can develop some specific safe driving techniques to overcome this, as well as remaining aware of the extra weight while you drive. While driving on steep, downhill roads, you should concentrate on controlling your speed and keeping your brakes as cool as possible, while staying on a low gear and letting the engine do the majority of the braking.