Driving with a trailer or caravan

By the end of this topic you can

• You can choose a safe speed and following distance when towing.
• You can respond correctly if a trailer or caravan starts to sway.
• You can plan an overtake with the extra length and slower acceleration of a combination.
• You can take turns wide enough for the trailer wheels.
• You can reverse a trailer in a controlled way.

What you need to know and understand

• No one may travel in a trailer or caravan while it is being towed.
• In NSW, if the car and trailer have a combined mass (GCM) over 4.5 tonnes, the maximum speed is 100 km/h even where a higher limit is posted.
• Stopping distances are much longer when towing, so leave a bigger gap than usual.
• A combination 7.5 metres or longer is a long vehicle. Outside built-up areas, a long vehicle following another long vehicle must keep at least 60 metres back where conditions allow, so others can overtake.
• If a trailer sways, avoid braking hard with the car's brakes except as a last resort. Ease off the accelerator and keep the steering steady.
• Trailer wheels cut inside the car's path on turns, so you need to turn wider.

Speed, gaps and sway

Drive at a speed that suits the load, road, traffic and weather, and never above the limits set by the vehicle maker or the trailer tyres. Lower speeds reduce the risk of sway.

Sway can start with a gust of wind, a passing truck or a sudden steering movement. If it happens:

1. Take your foot off the accelerator smoothly.
2. Hold the steering wheel steady and straight. Do not try to steer against each swing.
3. If your trailer has electric brakes, gently apply the trailer brakes alone using the controller, if you have been shown how.
4. Slow down gradually, then stop when safe and check the load and towball mass before going on.

Overtaking, hills and being overtaken

Your combination is longer and slower to accelerate, so an overtake needs a much longer clear road ahead. If in doubt, stay back. On long uphill climbs, select a lower gear early. On descents, use a lower gear to hold your speed and save your brakes.

Help others pass you. Keep left, and on narrow roads pull over safely to let a queue of traffic go by. When a large truck passes, expect a push of air and keep a firm grip on the wheel.

Turns, parking and reversing

• On left turns, go a little further forward before turning so the trailer wheels clear the kerb.
• Check that the whole combination fits before entering car parks, service stations and driveways.
• To reverse, hold the bottom of the steering wheel. Move your hand the way you want the back of the trailer to go.
• Reverse slowly, make small corrections and use a helper outside the vehicle where possible.
• If the angle between car and trailer gets too tight, stop, drive forward to straighten, and try again.

Common mistakes

• Driving too fast for the load, which makes sway more likely.
• Braking hard with the car's brakes during sway, which can make it worse.
• Starting an overtake without enough clear road for the extra length.
• Cutting corners so the trailer wheels hit the kerb.
• Letting passengers ride in the caravan. It is not allowed.

Test yourself: Driving with a trailer or caravan

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Towing on P Plates and L Plates in Australia