Caravans Overturning

[Fouldsy]

Over the last couple of days every traffic report from 'Sally Traffic' on radio 2, talks of delays on the roads due to overturned caravans.

Friday evening there was a van on its side in lane 3 of the M1 at J21, yesterday the reports talked of 4 vans in different parts of the country in big trouble.

This starts to worry me, are these accidents caused by bad driving? is it poor loading? too much speed? bad tyre pressures? other drivers? blow out which could happen to any of us?

Me and the long suffering are obsessive about getting it right (actually its me), no over loading and every loading rule followed to the letter, everything in the van has been on the scales, tyre pressures spot on, nose weight always within limits, no speeding, always give other vehicles space....so next time we are out, what are the chances of us being on the radio report and every non vanning motorist in the country spitting nails at that bloody caravan!

F

 

[Lutz]

".....are these accidents caused by bad driving?" - maybe

"is it poor loading?" - possibly

"too much speed?" - quite often

"bad tyre pressures?" - could be

"other drivers?" - that as well

"blow out which could happen to any of us?" - a blow out is probably the least likely of all the reasons given if the tyres are in a good condition and the pressures right and it will not necessarily result in an accident except in exceptional circumstances

or any combination of the above

I would also add couple more:

Lack of alertness in recognising a potential hazardous situation(towing requires even more foresight than driving solo)

Failure to react appropriately at the first signs of a hazard.

Accidents don't happen just like that. If you observe the basic rules there's no need to worry more than when driving solo.

 

[MikeP]

What I worry about is caravans that spend 49 weeks of the year sitting on someone's drive or in storage. Go down to Devon or Cornwall, caravan full of bikes etc, rear car springs bottoming out.

There are still quite a few people out there who are running un-serviced 10-year old caravans on the original tyres, towing with an unsuitable car. And before someone slates me for such gross generalisations, note that (a) this must be true and (b) such caravanners are highly unlikely to be regular contributors to this forum - so I'm not talking about you!

 

[Bigpow_5039962]

I'm amazed at how fast people now drive with the box on the back. Most people towing with L200's or Navaras ive seen going at 70 so it only takes a gust of wind and its all over. Its a good thing to have loads of power but sometimes I think they forget whats on the back lol. Dont forget the wheel nuts when checking things over ....

 

[Lutz]

I agree that most of the people involved in caravan accidents probably just hitch up and tow without giving safety aspects a thought beforehand. They are type of persons who are unlikely to concern themselves with such petty and inconsequential things as noseweights, tyre pressures, load distribution, etc., etc.

 

[lunar2000]

I'm not surprised that some people have accidents. While travelling solo down the A1 duel carriagway last week a Adria with a Citron C5 overtook me at what I thought was more than the 60mpg allowed on a duel road.

Yep! you've guessed it 85mpg and overtaking a stream of lorries in to the bargain. Say no more, except the unit was swaying and bouncing all over the place.

 

[mcghee]

I also have a theory that around this time of year there are many borrowed 'vans on our roads. Not that I'm saying they are the culprits, but I've seen plenty of these people setting up at camp, and I'd rather not be anywhere near them on the road. As has already been said, infrequently used caravans would be my next target. If someone's 'van sits in their garden for 11 months how can they expect components like the brake mechanism to work?

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

..... also dont forget when they mention caravan it doesn't necessarily mean us. There are 100s of other vans on the roads. Travellers and also contractors who work away from home also tow.

I normally tow at 60 on dual carriageways but recently coming down the A1 from Berwick I reduced my speed to 50 due to very high winds but the winds didn't deter some as they fled passed me.

 

[MikeP]

I'm not surprised that some people have accidents. While travelling solo down the A1 duel carriagway last week a Adria with a Citron C5 overtook me at what I thought was more than the 60mpg allowed on a duel road.

Yep! you've guessed it 85mpg and overtaking a stream of lorries in to the bargain. Say no more, except the unit was swaying and bouncing all over the place.

If he was going really fast, then I'm impressed that he was getting 85mpg. The best I can get is 38mpg. Maybe I should drive faster?

 

[MONKEY1]

Funny enough I commented on this on the other day to the wife, It does seam every other traffic report mentioned an overturned van. I guess because it is still relatively unusual in makes the news.

Only last weekend someone sadly died when being involved in a crash with a car/caravan combination on the M20. It would be interesting to see if the CC was allowed to analyse with the police certain factors.

Age of driver and/or experience.

Towcar.

Caravan

Weight ratio

Single axle/twin axle

Stabiliser etc

It would be interesting to see if some linking factors could be the issue.

Monkeys Husband

 

[RogerL]

As a major provider of caravan insurance the CC has a large information base on caravan accidents. That's why they support the 85% recommendation and aren't pushing to increase the towing limit from 60mph.

The number of caravans active increases dramatically at this time of year. Caravan accidents are "good news", not to any of us but to the general public.

My own theory would be that too many drivers (solo and towing) at this time of year have already done a stressful week at work, endured the stresses of commuting and then have to set out on a long journey before they can unwind on holiday: it's no wonder that accidents happen.

The frenetic pace of life is largely self-imposed so there's no real answer.

 

[colin(bridgend)]

One cause of caravan accidents that has only been mentioned once in this posting is the wheel studs. My almost new Bailey had a service in the April and in August three wheel studs sheared, one was lost and the other remained with the wheel but was partially stripped of its thread. The studs were fitted with the yellow markers similar to heavy goods vehicles. As a result the caravan accident at approx. 30/40mph resulted in the van being a total insurance write-off. We were told that if we had been towing with a car rather than a 4x4 we would have probably turned over, the weight of the vehicle kept the unit upright.

 

[Lutz]

Stud failure, especially of 3 studs, is surely one of the rarest causes of an accident. It suggests to me that the person who carried out the service overdid the torques as I cannot imagine that all 3 studs had a material defect. It would be interesting to know who the insurance company in the end found to be responsible for the failure.

 

[lunar2000]

If he was going really fast, then I'm impressed that he was getting 85mpg. The best I can get is 38mpg. Maybe I should drive faster?

Sorry! Should have read 85 MPH of course :-O

I only get 45.6 mpg with my mondeo.