According to experts, there will soon be new laws governing the towing of caravans and trailers, resulting in thousands of inexperienced drivers towing more oversized vehicles, leading to an increase in road accidents.
As a result, the plans have been postponed a little further in the year since the plans were due to become effective on Monday. However, Labour MP Karin Smyth (Bristol South) pointed out no evidence supporting the Government’s claims.
“The main question for the Government is: Is it worth risking lives for the sake of theoretical testing?” she said in the House of Commons.
“I’ve been repeatedly told, like other members who have addressed the meeting, from experts in the field that this won’t achieve what the Government says it will, and the Government has provided no evidence to support its claim.
“Trainers and driving test centers, insurance companies, and the Road Haulage Association strongly oppose this provision.”
A parliamentary member, chairing the all-party parliamentary group on trailers and towing safety, stated: “This proposal is utterly inadequate. These are potentially dangerous vehicles.
“Besides few government officials, no one thinks this is a good idea, and no safety assessment has been conducted.”
We Buy Any Motor caravan’s Thomas Owens says: “Drivers used to have to pass a category B+E test if both the caravan and towing vehicle weighed no more than 3,500 pounds.
“The tests have now been abolished, which means motorists can tow bigger and heavier caravans than they usually can. If you’re not sure what you’re doing, towing can be dangerous, resulting in more road accidents.
“With more weight on the road, it is more important than ever to check your tyres before heading out. Be cautious when cornering and drive slowly. You can also use stabilizers if your car isn’t quite ready for the new match.
“Remember that with all that extra space, it’s all too easy to overload. Still, keep the caravan as light as possible and keep heavy items close to the axle. Your packed caravan should not weigh over 85% of your kerb weight.
As a last resort, if you’re concerned, there are still non-comprehensive courses you can take. You’ll gain extra confidence and training this way. You might also save money on your insurance.”
Trudy Harrison, minister of transportation, commented: “We know that we have not released a complete analysis. That needs to publish as soon as possible.
In addition, she said many other drivers could already tow a trailer or caravan without additional testing before 1997, when a change in the law made this mandatory.
In his parliamentary speech, Richard Fuller (North East Bedfordshire) expressed concern over the three-year test regulations change, referring to it as “attempting to accomplish a regulatory change without saying you are doing so”.
Mrs Harrison stated they would assess the changes “every step of the way”.
Although opposition tried to vote against changes to testing rules that the Government had already approved, the vote was postponed until November 17th.
