A spate of accidents involving caravans has once again ignited debate about whether it is time for a special towing licence to be introduced.
The Caravan Industry Association of Australia (CIAA) has come out against the idea, arguing the suggestion ‘smacks of overkill’.
The organisation makes the following arguments to support its position:
Lack of proven efficacy: Little evidence suggests that a specific licence for towing caravans would improve safety outcomes. All drivers are mandated to be licensed, yet there are still over 1200 fatalities every year. In contrast, the caravan industry has had just over 50 fatalities in five years.
Grey nomads may be experienced drivers, but handling a large rig requires new skills. PIC: Cizza
Regulation: Introducing a new licence system would require the harmonisation of rules across states and territories. This would demand significant coordination and cooperation among state and territory authorities, which would be challenging due to differing priorities.
Implementation costs: Developing and implementing a new licensing system would involve considerable costs. This includes the costs of administration, training, assessment, and enforcement. If these costs were passed on to road users in the form of higher fees, it could deter many from embarking upon caravanning, ultimately hurting regional economies.
Enforcement: Enforcing a new licensing requirement would pose its own challenges. The size and remoteness of Australia make policing such a system difficult, with the potential for it to be widely ignored or avoided.
Barrier to entry: An additional licence requirement could be seen as a barrier to entry, deterring potential newcomers from taking up caravanning. Any shifts in its patronage will have direct flow-on effects to regional economies across the country.
Engagement: Given the popularity of caravanning, particularly with older Australians who value the freedom and flexibility caravanning offers, a new licence requirement would be seen as an unnecessary bureaucracy or a ‘nanny state’ intervention, leading to public resistance.
Rather than more licensing, the CIAA believes more education would be a better way forward.
“The approach we believe to be the most effective is that of readily accessible and heavily subsidised driver towing courses,” it said. “We have long lobbied government to provide funded safe towing courses for drivers and continue to include this in our appeals to Treasury around funding allocations.”
The CIAA says these courses would provide comprehensive training on all aspects of towing a caravan, including correct loading, understanding the impact of weather conditions, and safe driving practices specific to towing.
It says training courses would better equip caravanners for their trips and create a culture of safety and responsibility.
“By establishing such a culture, we can address the root causes of accidents, which often stem from a lack of knowledge or driver error rather than a lack of specific licensing,” the CIAA said. “Furthermore, we are also actively encouraging caravan manufacturers and dealers to impart basic safety training and advice to their customers.”
I have always been a believer that it is a lack of education and not a licensing issue. There is very little to no information on the every day tv adverts that go towards any education or guidelines as to how to pack or travel safely with a caravan in tow.
Hey Mick, think you nailed it right there. How to pack your van(weight distribution), not overload is the main problem
A truck licence is required to drive a vehicle with a mass of over 4.5 tonnes (NSW), yet a car towing a caravan with a combined mass of around six tonnes can be driven with a car licence. (In effect, a ‘mini semi-trailer’).
Yes, definitely time to look at a special licence.
All car drivers are licensed.
Car drivers were involved in about 5500 fatalities over the last 4 years.
License means squat.
Easily available towing courses would be a benefit.
Increasing regulation and the weight and cost of beaurocratic bs is not going to fix the problem.
A license isn’t the answer. Plenty of dangerous licensed truck drivers, car drivers and motorcycle riders out there. Anyone can pass a license test and just because they are licensed doesn’t mean they will do what is required or be a safer driver on the roads. There needs to be better enforcement. If any road user does the wrong thing and is caught, hit them where it hurts, their hip pocket.
Absolutely agree.. my hubby a semi trailer driver for 25 years gave up his HC licence 15 years ago downgraded to LR now he has to do a driving test if he wants to keep it, he just turned 80 a youthful one and capable one! He ended up just getting a car licence and is able to tow our cruiser and 26ft caravan a total of almost 7000kg without a driving test! Go figure!
Got a class 3 truck license in 1983.
Now called LR truck license.
Been towing vans since 1984.
Yes totally agree.
The operator of any vehicle over 4.5 ton needs extra training.
A truck license can be acquired after 1 full day off training and a successful PDA. This makes you a good truck driver? I don’t think so!
Yes a licence to tow caravans and trailers over two tonnes is needed I have a MC classless licence have th sit a comerical drivers medical ever year and drive around 6 thousand ks a week and every year around Easter we see a whole new batch of greynomads in there brand new 4wd and caravans entering our work place thats the highways with on idea how to drive safe corner or break what to do on overtaking lanes or been overtaken by a trucks yes it will cost them a small amount of money I do own a caravan it is set up to be towed safely with in its weight limits.
Bruce understand your comments but also step back and look at some of the MC license holders and apply the same comments to them. Yes I do have a truck license and tow a 3T van but have the correct tow vehicle to safely tow it, and its well setup as I took the time to get a safe tow combination. How many truck accidents v van accidents happen. In both cases any is to many. And if you come up behind me I will always do my best not to impede your progress, you are earning a living I am enjoying a living. Travel safe
As a BDouble driver I would like to see more training on how to drive around trucks , dos and don’ts . Reason is a lot of caravans drivers think they are doing the right thing pulling off the road but they do it some of the most dangerous places.
I simply don’t overtake trucks on single highways when towing if the truck is doing 80 or above.
Yes they should have an extra licence test. Same as anyone driving a motor home over 4.5 tons must have a LR or MR licence. Why should caravans be different.
Keep it simple.To qualify to tow a caravan just get a Medium Rigid licence.
What benefit is there with that?
Many have truck licences. My 2 brothers my husband and myself to name a few. Teaching would be the way to go with novices.
How does holding a truck driving licence guarantee good driving?
Not from my observations driving all around Australia often in retirement since 2002.
A total waste of time and just more people’s cost for no good reason.
Well known that a licence for whatever doesn’t stop the accidents whatever.
Attitude ( road rage) is the the issue.
Also interesting to read the part about
harmonisation across the states. They can’t get it right know so how are they going to do it now???.
Each state has their own sytems
Most licences aren’t transferable state to state. Firearms,rsa, are prime examples of the mess.
All adds up to much more cost to individuals.
No thanks Unwarranted costly idea.
Instead why don’t the governments get together and make all licences,regos etc Australia wide and then work on harmonisation.
Instead it would be just another rip off
I believe this discussion on another licence to to caravans is just a load of ****
Yes truck drivers have to get extra licensing to drive their big rigs. And so they probably should. Now stop and think for just one moment and think.
Has anybody actually looked at the % ratio of these licences truck drivers and how many are involved in accidents daily with the majority of outcomes a fatality. Yes ther are more trucks out there but the caravan industry will not be that far away.
Yes I believe that something can be done but I believe it’s common sense, placing of weights evenly but the big killer is lack of concentration, tired (who has spoken to someone in a van park to find out that they have driven an excessive amount of K’s, )
Next thing someone will want to ban females from towing (it’s a joke Joyce)
I have a HA licence so needless to say I’ve had quite a lot of experience towing a heavy trailer and before the keyboard heroes start no it’s not exactly the same as a car towing a caravan but some of the principles are the same such as not over loading,ensuring that you have the weight distribution correct and route restrictions. Introducing a another licence classification would be very hard to police one of my pet hates is seeing mobile homes and Caravans driving on roads that have large signs stating road not suitable for large vehicles and caravan’s if you can’t take a truck on that road what makes some people think it doesn’t apply to them towing a caravan increase fines and police the road rules fairly as for training everyone has had to undertake training to get their drivers licence and every move to a higher class licence requires training for that classification basic information should be supplied with every new van and extra training should be available at a reasonable price and for those who get 3 Infringements regarding caravan rules should have a compulsory safety course. Punish the drivers doing the wrong thing not the entire caravaning community
Yes I do agree with towing trailer training with a refreshing course every 5 years as new product are changing so much now and yes i tow caravan, boat and a trailer have done for all of my 45 years of driving i shake my head at a lot of drivers and drivers towing that forget they have a trailer of some kind on their car that makes them much longer and the vehicles brakes and suspension respond much slower and cut you off and speeding to get there before everyone else to get the best spot making people get a persific towing licence is not going change their driving habits teaching them what changes happen with the type of trailer they are towing would be a better step in the right mindset to the way i think
If they are going to introduce a license to tow a caravan, then, in all fairness they should also introduce one for towing trailers. It’s overkill, subsidised towing courses and education is the way to go.
It should be mandatory too for caravaners on the road to have a uhf radio and have the basic ability to use the device
I honestly think that having places that can check ball weight and tow height would be very beneficial
I would be happy to pay a mechanic or someone trained a fee to check these things. I pack the same stuff in the same places in my van and food amounts is the only thing that changes. So I believe if I had it checked once I would be fine unless I make changes. It’s something that could be added into a mechanics course and done at mechanics meaning the only real expense is setting up a course on what and how to weigh and level
I am a firm believer that it is the licencing system that is at fault, the initial drivers licence theory training fails to address anything about trailer towing and the critical factors associated with it, for example understating how towing a trailer effects the performance of the vehicle, correct loading and understanding of the impacts of compliance with permitted weights, an example, here is that in most vehicles that per 100Kg of TBM it applies 140 Kg to the rear axle load, the effect of fitting aftermarket devices such as bull bars and winches to your vehicle. The whole process is not simple therefore competencies in these factors needs to be included in the learners syllabus.
There are driving simulators that can mirror real world simulation of dragging a trailer behind you, these could be utilised to provide the learner with some experience without the inconvenience of doing it in the real world. If the government was serious these could be rolled out at all driver licence testing centres and included as part of passing the learners test… failure would result in a car licence with a no trailer endorsement rather than insisting on a trailer licence. I have used “trailer” on purpose singe there are any number of trailers of equivalent to size and weight of a caravan.
Another contributing factor is that vehicle manufacturers need to be more transparent is publishing real world limitations such as BTW @ max GVM, front and rear axle load limitations. example that most utes advertised as being capable of towing 3500 Kg cannot be legal at GVM weight,, its usually some 600+kg less.
Updating the license I don’t think is really the answer for the problem ….I work in the towing industry and from what see and understand from the recoveries that I’ve seen is a lot to do with a miss understanding of how to load the tow vehicle and caravan correctly.!
Also authorities need to look at the sales person that sell people a tow vehicle and caravans and tell them that will do the job….
Most people that have never towed anything in their life have no clue….so they take there word and set of on there journeys only to find out that they have bought the wrong tow vehicle or caravan……buy this time it’s to late in some cases because they can’t afford to replace it….
Honestly just making a knee jerk decision isn’t going to solve the problem!!!!
Good recommendations. As former heavy vehicle. Licence trainer, I can say training is far more important than the issuing of a licence. Most of the fatalities on our roads are caused by licence drivers.
When it comes to training , in any field,, the actual training and testing only applies for a limited time period, unless ongoing practical experience is undertaken. Many caravans only travel once or twice a year, as is this the specific requirement of the owner/driver. Knowledge and skills development will be minimal, if any, in this environment. Issuing a licence is, or should be, the same. So how many very poor to dangerous drivers out there? Yes they have a licence, but how many would not pass the basic driving test now?
Accessibility to skills training would be far more effective for ‘part time vanners’ to prepare for upcoming trips. So many towing specific procedures, regulations and skills are never tested for a car licence. Roadworthiness checks, coupling procedures, dimension awareness, weight distribution, braking procedures, not to mention the dreaded reversing phobias.
I’m all for the safety of everyone on the road!! and truck drivers need a different license to operate . So it shouldn’t be any different for towing big trailers. too many people with the she will be right attitudes
Yes i believe that a lot of caravaners have no knowledge of towing out of towns and that is where the knowledge of safe loading and safe driving practices are required. As an interstate truck driver i see countless caravans on the road doing 80kmh in a 100kmh zone and when we go to overtake them they speed up to 100 this is a dangerous practice for truck drivers due to the caravaners lack of training and knowledge.
Every one should be made do a 4 day course, not only driving but on how to pack their caravan and car .
The course should cover things like weather conditions, and breaking at speeds.
At the end of the course there need to be a day of driving.
No different to when you have to do a driving course for a heavy vehicle license.
Maybe when purchasing a van , new or second hand , that the new owner must attend a towing/ driving course with an instructor prior to picking up their van , to make sure they are capable of towing and handling the car and caravan before being out and about. If it proves they need more help then they are referred to a further course to assist in safe towing out on the open road . Keep it simple . I’m sure people with no experience would be happy to attend these courses to help them understand caravans are long on the back of a car , and they can be unpredictable if the driver is not aware of the safety measures required when towing them . Please keep it simple .
Totally agree
If I drive a motorhome with a GVM of 4.5 tonne or more I require a LR license in SA and something similar in other states. However, if the combined weight of a caravan and tow vehicle is the same only a car license is required. Doesn’t make a lot of sense. The rubbish about education being preferred is just a smoke screen. How would education without some form of enforcement provide the degree of competence required to safely set up and drive pretty heavy rigs. Every other class of vehicle has its own licensing requirements, there is no reason why driving caravans should be exempt.
Education and an additional licence, won’t stop people being stupid, towing is more about common sense, leave extra room, only pack what you need, drive at a reasonable speed, leave plenty of time to reach your destination and most of all, take plenty of breaks and don’t drive tired. Most people tow maybe 2 weeks a year, all the truck drivers saying they have a special licence, so should caravans. Trucks drive everyday, big difference, not comparing apples to apples. Trucks are involved in much more accidents than caravans, so did a special licence stop truck accidents no. It’s called an accident for a reason, sometimes accidents happen unfortunately, that’s life.
Afternoon everyone. I am a truck driver myself with an MC licence. We have to be endorsed to drive in a heavily regulated industry ourselves. For me personally I feel that unless you have an endorsed license, anyone wanting to tow a caravan or anything greater than one tonne, an endorsement should be seriously looked at!! When one is towing a van or heavy trailer that could potentially weigh as much or more than the tow vehicle, one might not be fully aware of the potential consequences, problems or issues associated with towing of a caravan. The extra weight, wind potential and the proper loading of the van can possibly put lives at risk!! Endorsement for anything above driving just a car should I think be seriously considered to help with safe driving on this countries roads!! I thank you for your time!!
I like the idea of training for towing being available ( including safe loading, weight issues etc), with incentives from Insurance companies, so if you have completed a training program your insurance is a bit cheaper would be nice.
A towing licence for any trailer should have been a thing decades ago
Disagree with revenue raising special licensing. How many vehicle accidents are there each year, do we need another special licencing for that too. How many truck accidents are there each year? Maybe we need another licencing to reduce truck accidents too! With all the young ones dying on our roads we should increase the driving age from 17 to 60! BS!
Education and driver support programs are what’s needed! Educate caravaners on how to work with the truckers on the road to make everyone’s life easier and safer.
I’m a truck driver who also pulls a caravan around on holidays and I see there being more truck accidents on australian roads than caravan accidents.
Hi all…here’s my spin on all caravan drivers that should have special training and licensing, im a HR truck licence driver and tow a 3.2t offroader with a more than capable V8 tow vehicle. Driver training courses subsidised by this wonderful ho hum…government would help, but here one 4 you on my recent trip im travelling the correct speed limit van behind catching up to a driver doing at least 10klms slower i sit behind 3 or more cars catch up 2 me a truck then catches up also now behind, he says to some other truckie….he we go another Fh7rvkyg caravan driver holding us all up little did he know there was a Fjdyuit in front of me…so i let him know in no uncertain terms as i was already pissed off sitn behind this moron, and yes first chance i got of passing went pass and nearly sucked his mirrors off..so my point is….theres a lot more out there than Caravan drivers needing all this crap testing and revenue raising.
Is the issue the lack of towing capabilities or just the fact most (caravan) drivers didn’t have proper training? After living in Europe for 35 years, where driving lessons provided by professional trainers is mandatory, I am very convinced the high fatality rate in Australia is due to the lack of mandatory driving lessons provided by professional trainers. We don’t mind spending 20k each year for private schools but 3-5k for driving lessons to keep our kids safe is too much.
I am really in 2 minds about this,Been a x truck driver and now tow caravans I look at it this way,to drive a truck you need a special .licence and look how many truck crashes there is.I think caravan drivers should have some education on reversing and some knowledge on controlling a caravan when the towed vehicle starts swaying and I think where most accidents happen.maybe a booklet in every caravan sold explaining the ways to and hints of driving caravans.my thoughts are 90% of caravan drivers would not have a clue what to do when a caravan starts swaying then panic sets in and the swaying gets worse.But to bring in strict licencing would turn a lot off buying a caravan and that could destroy tourism.
This idea of licensing seems to be a push by the trucking fraternity. They swamp caravanning forums and keep harping on about licensing. They love to complain if we aren’t going fast enough for them, but then point the finger if someone has an accident.
Education, training, understanding GVM and CVM, towing mass to towed mass and weight distribution. Too often I see a light vehicle towing a heavy van where the latter can wag the combination.
Best solution is new membrane that’s how it’s done properly not a quick fix