Another terrifying caravan rollover earlier this week has once again highlighted the ongoing dangers that towing can present, particularly in remote and regional areas.
The latest accident which temporarily closed Queensland’s Bruce Highway at Lake Monduran came as Rural Road Safety Month kicks into top gear, with organisations such as the Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) urging RVers to remain ever more vigilant.
A couple, aged in their 70s, were reportedly trapped inside the wreckage of their tow vehicle for a while after it, and their caravan, rolled.
Happily, they were later freed and the Queensland Ambulance Service said ‘no significant injuries’ were suffered by either patient.
A driver who was suddenly confronted with bales of hay tumbling off the vehicle in front on a rural road. PIC: Queensland Police Service
During Rural Road Safety Month, the caravan industry is stepping up its messaging, urging RVers to make sure they fully understand their setups, including towing and caravan weights … and that they focus on pre-planning, fatigue management and simply being patient on the road.
“Planning starts before the key is turned … get your car and RV serviced, take a refresher towing course if needed and plan your trip,” said Keelan Howard, the CIAA’s GM of Marketing & Communications. “Plan your trip before you leave, how far you intend to travel each day, plan your rest and fatigue management stops and book your accommodation in advance.”
Two in three road deaths reportedly occur on regional roads, and new research from the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF) shows there is a high number of people who admit to unpreparedness and bad behaviour when driving in rural areas.
And as most grey nomads would know, the challenges of driving in regional areas can be very different … from the narrowness of the roads to their general condition, and from the increased likelihood of running across everything from slow-moving agricultural vehicles to wandering wildlife.
The Queensland Police Service, for example, has just released the above image of a driver who was suddenly confronted with bales of hay tumbling off the vehicle in front on Booral Road, Bunya Creek, on September 3. The offending 40-year-old motorist was later issued with a $287 infringement notice for driving a vehicle when load not secure/likely to fall.
On top of all the normal rural road challenges, of course, September is a peak family camping holiday period in which previous CIAA research has shown that 71% of campers will travel over 250 kilometres from their home and stay away an average of 4.8 nights.
‘Our research also indicates that travellers are at greatest risk on Sundays and Monday when they are returning home from their camping trip, maybe tired after a big camping trip and focussed on just getting home,” said CIAA’S Keelan Howard. “We urge travellers to once again stop for a minute and make sure you have planned your trip, make sure you are rested and don’t rush.”
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Trying to find a rest stop, Qld needs more rest stops for traveler’s, the distance between them are too far.
The photo is from the in car camera of the Highway Patrol officer following the vehicle at the time
1.we never book a site
2. We drive a maximum of 200 klm a day and take regular breaks.
3. Hubby doesn’t need to do a refresher course towing all his life
4. Accidents happen unfortunately! Most could be prevented by upgrading roads filling potholes and driving a safe distance from the vehicle in front and of course keeping your speed down and driving to conditions
Most accidents could be avoided if drivers drove to the road conditions. Other vehicles would have driven over the same road without coming to grief. It is not the fault of the road only the driver.
Causeway signs removed west of Alice Springs, hit causeway at speed luckily I had van off at time, major damage, frustrating.
Well said Helen we couldn’t agree more – common senseAnd sticking to the road rules
Being overtaken by a vehicle in a rural area when you have your indicator on to turn right and they continue to overtake regardless of on coming traffic even if the oncoming vehicle is a b double. This has happened more than once
I am heartily sick and tired of the large new vans, towed by large new cars overtaking because they can’t bear to be behind you! We sit on 90-95kph which is considered to be a safe towing speed, but they fly past obviously doing 110-120 only to pull back in swaying badly and forcing us to back off, when will they learn that they are in charge of a lethal machine!
I agree exactly, there are Idiots out there both with Caravans ETC and without Caravns ETC Just Idiots on our Roads.
Your guess is as good as mine
Agreed. Happens all too often
Yes some years ago while traveling between Emerald C.Q. towards Rockhampton we were towing our 15.4Ft JAYCO POPTOP over a small Mountain Range around 1.25hrs West of Rockhampton, it is winding single Lanes with Double Center Lines, when I noticed a Semi Trailer rig approaching from behind, I was traveling at around 90Kph in a 100 Kph Zone when this TRUCK DRIVER decided to over take us on the incorrect side of the DOUBLE LINES on BENDS one going Left & the other ( at the Crest of the Range ) going RIGHT meaning the Truck Driver could NOT SEE anything comming toward him and E couild NOT GO OVER off the Road without a threat of tipping over the Mountain Side, so I simply Applied the EMERGERNCY BRAKES to the Caravan and the car and came to a PROMPT STOP allowing the SEMI Trailer adriver the Full Road, and on proceeding over the crest of the Mountain Range We could see ythe Semi Racing off in the Distsance and NO other TRUCKS approaching which he may have been communicating with prior to over taking us.
This could have been a very nasty situation had another Vehjicle been traveling West uop the Mountain Range.
Unfortunately I was too busy looking for an escape route to take note of any VEHICLE REGO, NUMBERS etc.
We were travelling near Alpha in Qld @ about 85km because the road was winding in that spot. Came around a corner & 4 big emus were slowly walking across the road. We had nowhere to go but thankfully all was well.
Too many vehicles towing caravans that outweigh them by quite a bit. (tail wagging the dog)
It always frustrates me when drivers overtake on double white lines, they must get past that pesky caravan at any cost.
A Ute towing a caravan passing me on a blind right hand bend at approximately 100kmh. Caught up with him later at a rest stop and asked him what he was thinking, his reply “it wasn’t an ideal overtaking manoeuvre” no apology, no admission of fault. This is the problem – macho behaviour by mainly men north of 60 years old who know everything already so not willing to learn.
That is the worst I have seen but often see caravans going to fast for the conditions – what’s the rush you are on holiday.
The comments below says it all – blame the roads, it’s not my fault
The RVers that are new to traveling with campertrailors and caravans started doing this after the pandemic and used to go Cruising on cruise ships or flying oversees . There is no training for new campers with these vehicle’s and everybody is in hurry.
My rule of thumb is 10-2. On the road by 10, off the road by 2. I generally do not travel more than 250km per day and I travel at 90-95 kmh depending on road conditions and wind speed and direction. I have met Grey Nomads who drive the big dodge Rams and their attitude is if you can’t do the speed limit then get off the road. 130 in the NT. The road conditions in some States are absolutely atrocious, the Bruce Hwy in Qld and the Newel Hwy in NSW just to name a few. Nomads need to understand the road conditions when they are towing as this directly affects the movement of the van being towed and the reaction times of the driver. Stop being ignorant and change their attitudes and this will help reduce accidents.
Hear hear good advice.
Driving on back roads is different because it has more incidents of unexpected things, that is why I drive slower, 80km/hr, unless slower speed limit is poste, on these roads which increases your reaction time if something does happen.
We came around a corner on the Arve Loop Road through the Arve Loop Forest Reserve in Tasmania after a storm and came across a HUGE GIGANTIC forest giant tree laying across the road. It was 5 feet in diameter where it crossed the road! Luckily we were not towing the caravan at the time, so we could turn around. There was no way to go around it!
Why is it that the Bruce Highway, QLD comes up on these types of incidents.
Should we be looking at why this is so or just keep blaming the caravaners who travel this road. Why did it happen again, the re are never any answers on these issues from anyone and even GNT. Mini has no replies.
How a re we going to know how safe this highway really is or is it the caravaner(s). I ask you all
We’re from Qld., and have travelled the Bruce Highway many times over the last 45 years driving/riding everything from motorbikes to HQ ute to station wagons to Kombi camper to caravan rigs, and it’s always been the same.
Rutted, potholed, badly signposted and generally a major pain in the fundament. You can blame various governments, but I guess it’s like most of Aus., big country, small population, hence small tax base, hence not enough money for upgrades.
Having said that, came down from Darwin last year via Townsville to SE Qld. just for a change, and pretty much Townsville to Maryborough was one big set of roadworks, so work is being done.
Bottom line, drive to the conditions and your own limitations and you’ll be fine.
We have never had a problem except for a few scares caused by other people’s stupidity.
Coming upon a cyclist in the middle of the left lane on a blind dropping left hander on NSW South Coast with a truck coming towards us less than 50 yards ahead.
Still don’t know how we missed both bike and truck.
If forced to make a choice in future I know who I’ll be running into.
Self preservation rules!!
Caravan and 5th wheel sellers/dealers should be made to give or arrange for the purchaser to have at least 2 hours driver train. On passing a set driving test with the vehicle the owners licence should record this fact and if that owner is found or caught driving dangerously they should lose their towing rights for a set period of time. To many drivers consider themselves to be experts at towing or even loading their vans, when in fact they are a hazard to themselves, their loved ones and most importantly me.
Over the last 2 weeks we have driven close to 4,000km from Adelaide, SA t Queensland. This includes diversions for sightseeing along the way. We try and avoid driving at night. That said, most animals move off the road if given the opportunity and not blinded by light.
However, emus with young chicks in the vicinity are the exception. They will stand middle of the road and fail to move until you are almost on them. Speaking with locals about this behaviour, apparently when they move out the way some have experienced them coming back on the attack from the rear of the passing vehicle, i.e. just when you thought you had avoided that obstacle!
We have not experienced this but have had to completely pull up on the road to await them move out of the way.
One wonders about those drivers not as guarded expecting they will move out the way, but when almost on them, without pther options other than running one down. I’d imagine they would make quite a mess of your vehicle if hit being a big bird.
Tim Halls