Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Caravan Towing Tips

Friday, November 18th, 2011

Towing a caravan presents added risks to driving, and should only ever be undertaken responsibly.  The following tips will help reduce these risks:

  • You should allow yourself extra time and space for everything you do. Whether it be braking earlier than normal, or turning wider to prevent catching a curb or cutting a corner.
  • Bear in mind that speed limits are often lower when you are towing. You shouldn’t exceed 60mph on dual carriageways, and 50mph on single carriageways.
  • You must not tow in the outside lane of a motorway that has 3 or more lanes, unless explicitly instructed to do so.
  • Ensure you have a clear view to the rear of your caravan. You will probably need to use extension mirrors.
  • Never carry passengers or animals in the caravan when towing.
  • Your number plate must conform to British Standards, it must show your registration number, and must be illuminated during the hours of darkness.
  • Check you rear light panel before every time you drive off.
  • If traffic is building up behind you, make sure you pull over at a suitable place to allow it to pass.
  • Make sure you park sensibly and don’t cause an obstruction. And don’t park in parking meter bays.
  • Don’t ever dispose of your caravan’s waste water on the public highway.

A lot of these tips are plain common sense, but by following them you will make your experience and those around you safer and more pleasurable. You will also of course be doing yourself a favour in terms of your caravan insurance, by reducing the risk of needing to claim.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Caravan Tips | No Comments »

Caravan Crime Initiative

Friday, October 29th, 2010

Various organisations have come together to form the Caravan Safety and Security Group (CSSG), a working group set up to combat caravan related crime. The Camping and Caravanning Club, The Caravan Club, the National Caravan Council (NCC) and the Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) have created this cross industry project. Funded by The Camping and Caravanning Club and the Caravan Club, the aim of the group is to work on improving safety and security in the caravan industry, and has the support of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).

The initiative was launched at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the NEC on October 12th. One of its projects is to launch a website at www.cssginfo.co.uk to help caravanners and the caravan industry to help reduce caravan-related crime. The CSSG will provide opportunities for the caravan trade to work cooperatively to develop measures to help cut theft from, and of, caravans, caravan holiday homes, and motor caravans. To achieve this it will be working with caravanners, enforcement agencies, government, and commercial, trade, and member organisations. And for consumers, it will  look to promote good practice in safety and security-related issues, providing up to date information on new products and technology, and the latest thinking regarding crime, safety and security.

Lesley Coell, Head of Insurance and Financial Services, from The Caravan Club said: “We’re confident that the co-operative approach of the ‘Caravan Safety and Security Group’ is the very best way to tackle these concerns for our members and for caravanners as a whole.

“We look forward to working with our industry colleagues to benefit the members of our respective organisations, and support the work of police forces around the country in tackling caravan crime.”

Director General of the NCC, John Lally, added: “We are on the offensive tackling caravan crime from all angles. CSSG can pool knowledge, share resources and really make things happen.”

Committee Chairman and Director General of The Camping and Caravanning Club, Robert Louden, said: “The Club is delighted to be a part of the CSSG and we are looking forward to collaborating with other leading industry organisations to help support this safety and security initiative in the caravan leisure business.

“It has become increasingly important to find an effective solution to help consumers feel informed on all security issues. The new working group aims to provide support by answering any safety and security questions.

“It is essential that further development work is put into place to help continue to maintain and heighten current safety and security standards.”

AVCIS consultant, Tim Booth, added: “We have seen a substantial reduction in the thefts of caravans from around 5,000 per year in the late 1990′s to 1,400 last year, while the industry was working together informally.

“CSSG establishes a more formal partnership that will not only look at theft and security issues but also at safety for the consumer. Leisure time is crucially important for all of us, and the safer it is, the more we will be able to enjoy it.”

We at www.caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk applaud this initiative and hope it can have a powerful effect in reducing caravan crime.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in General Caravan | Comments Off

The Perils of Snaking

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Caravan insurance specialists Safeguard have issued a warning to touring caravan owners to take great care when on the road. This comes as a result of a number of accidents apparently caused by what is known as ‘snaking’.

Snaking is when in essence the caravan is trying to steer the car, resulting in the whole rig weaving from side to side, and is particularly dangerous. There are several different causes of snaking:

  • Side winds: The caravan is blown to one side by a gust, and subsequently tries to return to its natural tendency to follow the car. Another gust will push it sideways again, and so on.
  • Too much speed. This is not surprisingly a common cause of snaking. Let’s face it, a caravan on its side halfway down a long hill is not an uncommon sight. To protect against this you should aim to descend the hill at around 10mph slower than you would normally. Indeed on French roads they impose a reduced speed limit on lorries and caravans for precisely this reason.
  • Being overtaken by large vehicles such as lorries or coaches. As an HGV or coach pulls alongside a caravan while overtaking, the airflow around the lorry/coach initially pushes the caravan away from it (called the bow-wave), but then the air pressure drops and the caravan is sucked towards the lorry/coach.

To reduce the chances of snaking occurring there are several things you will need to ensure:

  • That your vehicle has a professionally fitted tow bar that is specifically designed for your type of caravan
  • That the tow bar weight capacity of your towing vehicle is adequate for the weight your caravan needs for stability (the optimum weight is about 7% of the caravans laden weight)
  • The the caravan is correctly loaded, with the heavier things over the axle and towards the front, and the lighter things in overhead compartments and to the rear
  • That the towing vehicle and the caravan are a well matched rig

Safeguard report that the have seen “an increase in reported incidents of snaking,” they identify some of the causes of this as “excessive speed when travelling downhill, incorrect tyre pressures, side winds and being overtaken by large vehicles.” They are keen “to urge all caravanners to be safe on the roads this summer to avoid serious accidents and costly insurance claims.”

This is of course a sentiment we echo at caravan-insurance-cover.co.uk. Getting the best from your caravan, and your caravan insurance is not only about getting the best insurance, but doing your best to have to avoid claiming on it.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Caravan Insurance, Caravan Tips, General Caravan | Comments Off