The great caravan road trip – what to know before you drive away

Summer is just around the corner and the dream of packing up the caravan and driving towards the sunset is one step closer.

But it’s not always sunshine and rainbows when it comes to Australian road trips. The outback and backwater roads can be tricky to navigate. And there are also some specific road rules that apply to caravans and camper vans that can catch people off guard.

So, what do you need to know before your caravan hits the road for the great Aussie tradition: the summer road trip?

Am I allowed to drive a campervan or tow a caravan?

The answer here is probably yes. This is because if you’re Australian, and you have a driver’s licence, then you’re usually allowed to tow a caravan, even if it’s just a learner licence. Campervans are a different story though.  To drive one of these machines, your licence can’t be a provisional or learner licence, and it needs to have been held for at least 12 months. If you meet these criteria though then you’re good to go. Ensure you check each State and Territory’s road rules before you set off, as these can differ.

What does your caravan weigh and are you allowed to tow it?

Unfortunately taking a road trip in with a caravan isn’t as straightforward as attaching it to your car and driving away. There are a number of compliance rules you need to comply with – mostly to do with the fact that a caravan is a trailer.

Unlike a campervan, which is a caravan and a driving van all in one, a caravan gets towed around by a car, 4wd or another vehicle. And that brings us to the first thing to investigate: can your car or 4WD actually tow the caravan?

There are plenty of people through the years who go and buy a massive caravan only to discover their car or 4WD can’t legally tow it!

The questions you need to be asking are: what is your car’s maximum tow rating and what is the tow bar weight? The other thing to keep in mind is the maximum total weight for your car/4WD and caravan. This falls under the handy acronym of GCM (Gross Combination Mass). You can discover this by looking in the owner’s manual of your car or calling your car’s manufacturer.

So while your car might have the horsepower to tow your epic caravan for your road trip, the combined weight might be over your vehicle’s GCM which means your whole operation is against the law. So be careful!

Don’t let your road trip come unstuck due to the caravan’s fine print

It’s not just weight we need to worry about when it comes to caravans.  There are a bunch of other compliance issues you need to monitor. These include:

• Both your vehicle and your caravan must be roadworthy and registered. Make sure you have the relevant documentation and make sure it’s not out of date.
• Your caravan must have a rear number plate that’s got a light above it. You also need to make sure that it’s clearly visible and not obscured by accessories such as bike racks.
• On your car or 4WD, your towbar mustn’t cover your car’s number plate or rear lights when the caravan is not connected.
• You may tow only 1 trailer (caravan, box or boat) at a time.
• If the caravan is being towed, it must be empty… of people! No joyriding on the highway, I’m afraid.

Safe driving on your caravan or campervan road trip

Whether you’re driving a campervan or towing your caravan, the reality is that normal suburban driving conditions have changed. You’re now travelling in a vehicle or combination vehicle that is much, much heavier than what you likely do on a daily basis. This means you probably need to change your driving style.

The first thing to be aware of is that you’re going to accelerate much slower than a regular car. So the gap you think you can usually make is no longer an option. Wait for a big break in traffic before you exit an intersection otherwise you might get stuck in the middle of the road wondering why you’re not at top speed yet.

On the flip side, you’ll now be breaking a lot slower too. While a car might be able to stop relatively quickly, a campervan or towed caravan will take much longer and much more distance to do so. The key to compensate for this is to drive a little slower, which means you won’t have to lose as much speed if you must suddenly brake. In fact, when towing a caravan it’s recommended you keep around 60 metres between you and the vehicle in front.

You also need to think about supplies – particularly fuel. Campervans are much less fuel efficient than regular cars. But even your regular car will guzzle more fuel than you’d usually expect if it’s towing a heavy caravan on a road trip to Uluru. So if you see a sign indicating you’re driving past the last fuel station for 60km, be aware that you probably have less distance capacity than you think, so it’s probably a good idea to fill up while you can. If you are driving on the backroads or through the outback, ensure you have spare fuel to keep you going!

Don’t let the weather kill your road trip

As with all travelling, don’t ignore the weather. In Queensland, for example, there are increased risks of storms and flooding between November and April. So if you’re planning on taking a long road trip, make sure you check for any severe weather warnings and prepare accordingly.

However, in the unfortunate event you do get stuck in a storm or other severe weather, there are some important tips to get your campervan or caravan ready:

• Take down your awning
• Turn off the gas and electricity
• Apply the brakes and chock the wheels
• Tie down your caravan securely
• Park facing into the wind
• Tie down the roof
• Exit your campervan or caravan and seek alternative shelter

By following this advice and making sure your campervan or caravan are compliant, your road trip is more likely to be epic than illegal, which means everyone wins.

Something happened on the road during your trip? If you need to make a CTP claim, Claimify may be able to assist. Fill out your details within minutes, and we’ll do the rest. Compensations claims, easy as!