Major organizations are advocating for mandatory training or a special license for drivers who tow caravans, as the number of individuals engaging in this activity has surged in recent years. This increase in caravan usage, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in domestic holidays, has prompted calls for enhanced driver education to ensure safety on the roads.
The National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) has emphasized the necessity of additional training for motorists seeking to tow caravans. Emily McLean, the NTRO’s leader of safer infrastructure, highlighted the risks associated with learning towing skills on the road. “On the road isn’t the best place to learn the skills that you need to safely travel,” she stated in an interview with ABC News. McLean suggested that training could be incorporated as an endorsement on individual licenses, advocating for a collaborative approach to establish a national agreement on the matter.
The Royal Automobile Club of Queensland (RACQ) has also expressed support for increased guidance for drivers unfamiliar with towing. The organization offers courses designed to help motorists tow safely while adhering to weight limits.
In addition, the Caravan Industry Association of Victoria (CIV), Australia’s largest caravan and RV industry body, is pushing for a nationally recognized towing endorsement for drivers. Despite advancements in safety technology, such as breakaway braking systems and anti-lock brakes in many new caravans, there is currently no compulsory training requirement for drivers before they hitch up a caravan.
Daniel Sahlberg, CEO of the CIV, pointed out the significant changes in caravan design over the past decade. “Caravanning is a multi-generational Australian way of holidaying,” he noted. “However, over the past decade, caravans and RVs have increased in both length and weight. The five-meter pop-top vans of the past have largely been replaced by models measuring nearly 10 meters and weighing over 3,500 kilograms.”
Sahlberg underscored that as caravans become larger and heavier, there is an urgent need for enhanced driver skills and knowledge, along with regulatory updates to keep pace with the evolving caravan market.
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