A brand new caravan has been completely destroyed after it flipped while being towed along the Hopkins Highway between Warrnambool and Mortlake in Victoria.
The 65-year-old man who was driving the four-wheel-drive utility towing the van was not injured in the incident at Ballangeich but was taken to hospital for observation. No one else was in the vehicle at the time.
Police say possible mechanical failure led to the caravan becoming unhitched from the ute.
“The caravan has fishtailed from side-to-side but was fortunately still connected by chains,” Skipton police Leading Senior Constable Paul Avery told the Warrnambool Standard.
The caravan and Ute jackknifed and the caravan came to rest on the driver’s side.
“The driver was lucky,” said Senior Constable Avery. “Other than the caravan becoming unhitched, everything else worked as it is was supposed to … the brake-away brakes assisted in slowing it down.”
While the rear-end damage to the Ute was moderate, the new caravan – which was being taken to the Ballarat manufacturer to get a service- was severely damaged. Polic estimate the van would be valued at well in excess of $50,000.
An investigation will be carried out into the cause of the accident but witnesses report that the Ute was sitting at a speed well under 100km/h so speed was not an issue.
Senior Constable Avery told the Standard that it was timely to remind all drivers to ensure chains were connected when they were towing.
“In this accident the chains have prevented the caravan coming off and potentially travelling into the path of another vehicle,” he said.
The road was closed for about 90 minutes while the ute was towed from the scene and the caravan loaded onto a truck and removed from the roadside.
· Did you see this accident or get caught up its aftermath? Comment below
Always check the adjuster on the tow ball receiver is snug and lock nut is firmly tightened. I was lucky. Mine had loosened and came off at a service station speed bump.
There was another one on the Pacific Highway (north bound) just south of Newcastle yesterday. Looked like the whole van and tug had swung through 180 degrees and ended up in the bushy median strip. Hope everyone was okay.
Being a new caravan and possibly with a standard ball hitch, they can sometimes be handed over to the owner with the cup setting adjuster all wrong and the ball doesn’t sit right up in the cup. Always wind the adjuster bolt out of the cup so that it is flush with cup housing inside and then the ball can turn freely and the lock arm catch will fit neatly under the stem of the ball.
I have heard that these couplings are made originally for small trailers and by winding down the adjuster bolt stops the trailer from rattling when empty……..but not necessary or good idea with a caravan.