Push for L-Plate caravan test
Online test for caravan newbies would make roads safer, claims industry bodyThe Caravan Council of Australia has renewed its call for an L-plate style theory test that all new caravan owners would be required to pass before hitting the road for the first time.
The CCA’s Colin Young believes an on-line knowledge test for inexperienced caravanners would prevent many towing problems, and potentially serious accidents, as an increasing number of overseas travel-restricted Australians buy caravans for the first time.
Young argues that a self-education approach for caravan newbies is insufficient when professional training and an endorsed licence are mandatory for truckies and other drivers of heavy rigs.
“An appraisal of the driving ability of all caravanners is urgently required, in order to reduce the number of serious accidents, and frightening incidents involving caravans on our roads,” he said.
“It is essential that all drivers (and relief-drivers) towing caravans take the initiative to ensure that they adequately understand the laws and the technical issues involved with towing a caravan, so that they are not ‘an accident waiting to happen’ and a hazard on our roads.”
As well as brushing up on basic towing knowledge and rules, Young believes all inexperienced caravanners should enroll in a professional driver-training course, conducted by a “highly-respected and experienced caravan-towing instructor”.
“All drivers need to undertake driver training, so that they know what to do in the real-world, when ‘all hell suddenly breaks loose’ on a road and lives are on the line,” he claimed.
“Organised practice in a spacious, safe deserted parking lot provides vital safety information, regarding the sensitivity of the two braking systems – including the manual over-ride brake control – and the speed and degree of rotation of steering-wheel inputs.
“Having a cavalier attitude of 'I’m a great driver' or 'it will never happen to me', is a recipe for disaster.”
While an endorsed licence would be ideal, Young said the introduction of a caravan 'L plate' theory test is more achievable in the short term.
“There is a strong push to require drivers to have an endorsed licence for towing caravans, obtained after they satisfactorily complete a recognised training evaluation," he said.
“However, there is opposition to this proposal, seemingly from parties that have a strong vested interest in increasing, and not decreasing the number of caravans sold, and used on our roads.
“An alternative, more practical and much faster proposal to achieve an equivalent result, is to require drivers to pass an on-line theory test encompassing at least the major aspects of the legal and technical issues involved with driving a combination on the road.
“It is proposed that driver licensing authorities and caravan insurance companies manage this system. The program could be introduced on an advisory or recommended basis."
Young has previously come up with a list of test questions that all caravan newbies could tackle, covering important safety areas like ratings and masses, towing and trailer regulations, tyre pressures, payloads and weight distribution.
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