As travellers return to road, van crash numbers rise

Published: July 23, 2020

With many travellers getting back on the open road, it is sadly no surprise that there have been a number of accidents involving caravans.

Yesterday, there was a nasty two-vehicle collision involving a bus and caravan on the Capricorn Highway, west of Emerald in Queensland.

The Noosa News reports that it is believed a car towing a caravan initially collided with a bridge, and the bus then crashed into it from behind.

The Greyhound bus involved was reportedly carrying a number of passengers at the time of the crash.

A QAS spokesperson confirmed a total of 11 people were assessed on scene by paramedics.

No serious injuries were sustained, with no transport to hospital required.

Earlier this week, a caravan flipped onto its side following an accident on the Brand Highway at Greenough just south of Geraldton in Western Australia.

Police said no one was seriously injured in the crash between the caravanner and another car.

At the end of last month, the southbound lanes of the Bruce Highway on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast were blocked after a caravan and 4WD jack-knifed and rolled. The van was completely destroyed in the incident.

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Theses accidents will continue as long as state authorities refuse to introduce an endorsement for towing trailers and caravans.
There are excellent towing courses available, but the towing endorsement should be made compulsory if individuals intend to tow.

I agree especially since there are so many more vans on the road now. Correct loading, towing vehicle etc needs to be addressed & educated on & new licence issued as these are major issues regardless whether grey nomads or younger families.

Upgrading your licence doesn’t stop truck crashes

How many times have you been aproaching a bridge only to find something big coming the other way… I have held my breath several times hoping that i have judged the clearance right…My thoughts go to the poor bugger that hit the bridge…But at what speed and distance behind the caravan was the greyhound bus travelling that he was unable to stop safely…”Lets blame the grey nomad and make him do a test…” I notice that forcing people to have a skippers ticket here in W.A.to operate a boat has not stopped people driving onto the rocks..

Would you expect the fellow who drags his 6×4 trailer to the tip twice a year pay extra on his licence and attend a course ?.. If caravan crashes are such an issue then maybe the insurance companies would come to the party with reduced policies for those that have completed an aproved course… How do you feel about going for your ” intend to tow ” classification again because you upgraded the caravan to 18 ‘ ?

Accidents involving grey nomads
Does not mean grey nomads are to blame for the accident

I agree, with school holiday makers also on the road with vans, we can’t immediately assume it’s the senior and retired ‘grey nomads’

I agree Sharon. Here in Busselton, the last two weeks have been very hectic on the roads due to school holidays. All going like stink, can’t sit on the speed limit, all dirty because they can’t go to Bali. Cold down south, GRRRR

More caravans on the road will result in more accidents, but does anyone know the percentage of accidents involving caravans per registered vehicle.

If he hit the bridge it probably does

Well I can tell you, if not for the experience my husband has in towing vehicles, we would have rolled or ended up in a ditch, thanks to the young idiot heads that are towing boats trailers & trailers with trail bikes that have overtaken us and cut in too soon , nearly clipping the front of our 4WD.. The trouble is, they exercise no patience and take too many risks, even with their young children in the back seat!!!!!

I have driven 46 years with a clean licence HC/MC, R.
And you want myself to pay for yet another endorsement on my licence.
I pay enough.
If you want people to comply. Then Put L plates 12months. Red P’s 12months, and a further 2 years on Green P’s,
State Governments will put their hands out yet again.
!20 hours with a log book with A passenger with an endoresment.
Go for It.

Next month be 53 years holding clean HC/MC,R licences ..apart from handful of speeding fines while driving light vehicles.
Have always driven around the block and found open areas to backup and get comfortable with how the vehicles operate.
Holding HC/MC licences be automatically endorsed for vans.
I really don’t see a problem with endorsing a licence for a van after completing a course.
Hopefully then common sense would prevail.. if you’ve never towed and you buy the van and completing a course would be the first thing to do.
Comes back to being “Fore Warned” gives one lots of options when anything starts to go amiss.
Yes, I drive the conditions not the clock or those behind trying to push. Allowing other road uses at the earliest and safest points to pass is more than honouring.
I guess after years of driving is just natural for one to be aware of what is happening 360deg about me and mindfull of what others are doing and possible outcomes affecting my drive.
Now that mobiles are illegal hopefully more attention on the driving.
I love driving and will renew my heavy licence next month.

There was another just north of Port Macquarie last sunday. 4wd upside down and large van on its side, old gentleman sitting sadly on opposite side of rd and closed ambulance just near the crash site. Didn’t look good.

i have bean towing vans for 40 OD years ,over that time have come across several crashes with vans. best way to stop this is to SLOW DOWN. I drive ta around 95 to 100 on a duel lane highway and vans go by like i am doing 60 , and they are no the edge of out of control,just SLOW DOWN you will still get there.

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