HEADING on a trip these holidays with your caravan? Here is a caravan safety checklist will help ensure you have a safe and happy holiday.
Even if your caravan is regularly maintained, you should always do an extra maintenance check prior to and during a trip.
Your car, in addition to your caravan, should also be well maintained and checked over. Keep an eye on the oil, water, brakes, rear-view mirrors and battery. If in doubt, have it looked over by a professional mechanic.
If you have a portable heater in your caravan, make sure you’re careful about where you place it – keep it away from furniture and all gas, electrical or water fittings.
Tyres are of absolute importance when towing a caravan. See the manufacturer’s handbook for the recommended towing tyre pressure, and check their condition
regularly.
Disconnect all gas, electrical and water connections in your caravan while traveling.
It’s a legal requirement to fit a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher in your caravan. Test it regularly to make sure you and your family are kept safe.
When traveling, always listen to local radio stations so you’re aware of any fires or other emergencies nearby or on your intended route. When you’re based at a caravan park, make sure you familiarise yourself with their emergency procedures too.
Keep all items in the caravan secure while driving. Close the fridge door, ensure all cupboards, windows and doors are well sealed and closed, and the awning is packed away and locked in. If you’re not 100 percent confident in your towing ability, have some caravan towing lessons.
When driving, pull over at a safe point if there are cars wanting to get past. If you wish to overtake someone, wait for an overtaking lane rather than crossing to the lane of potential oncoming traffic.
Leave plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front to allow extra braking distance. Safety should always be your first priority, so make sure you follow the guidelines in this article.
