The National Caravan & Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide has been produced in response to overwhelming public demand. In the Guide you will find a wealth of technical information, handy hints and advice, which, when put into practice, will help you to tow your caravan or other recreational vehicle with a greater degree of confidence and safety.

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There are currently over 330,000 registered recreational vehicles - including caravans, camper trailers and tent trailers - in Australia. The popularity of these vehicles is growing rapidly, with new registrations of around 18,000 units every year.

Of course, there are also innumerable other types of trailers such as boat trailers, horse floats and the humble box trailer, which are used for both private and commercial purposes. But no matter what vehicle you tow and what your level of experience (from firsttimer to old hand) you will find the Guide is an invaluable reference tool.

Refereed by nine technical experts with many years of collective towing experience, the information in the Guide is both practical and, at the time of publication, consistent with the applicable national road and towing regulations. For additional towing information or advice, please contact one of the organisations listed on the last page of this Guide.

The Caravan and Camping Industry Associations throughout Australia are pleased to make The National Caravan & Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide available to you free of charge. We hope you find the publication useful and we wish you many hours of happy, safe towing.

Introduction

Touring and towing a caravan or other recreational vehicle is one of the most exciting ways to see Australia. Not only is it an affordable holiday, it also gives you the freedom to travel to the destinations of your choice.

Australian caravans are among the best in the world. They are aerodynamically designed and can be towed easily and safely. However, towing any type of trailer involves more than attaching a towbar to your vehicle and hitching up.

It adds another dimension to your driving and there are a number of considerations you should take into account.

These include:

• the towing capacity of your vehicle;
• the type of tow bar you should fit to your vehicle and the maximum load capacity of the coupling;
• the type of trailer you are towing and whether it complies with all the regulations governing trailers in Australia;
• the type of equipment you may need to fit to increase the trailer's stability when being towed;
• whether your trailer is correctly loaded;
• the ways in which towing can affect your driving;
• the safety checks you should make prior to and during your trip; and
• the type of insurance most suitable for your caravan or trailer.

This guide will help to answer your questions regarding these issues.