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Transport industry bosses have called on caravan owners to face a special licensing test after a series of accidents have caused chaos on Australian roads.
The call comes at a time of boom in caravan sales, which have risen 30 per cent since the start of the Covid pandemic, according to the Australian Caravan Industry Association.
But the increasing number of caravans on the roads, especially in Queensland, has led to a rise in accidents involving mobile holiday homes.
Now Tony Maddison, director of towing technology company WiTi, says owners should be forced to take a license test and undergo an accredited towing course.
There are concerns that the number of caravans and motorhomes sharing the state’s roads with other motorists is a recipe for disaster.
The Australian Caravan and Industries Trade Association and the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland have also supported calls for more driver training.
According to the Queensland government, 50 people were killed and almost 800 injured in accidents involving a light passenger vehicle towing a trailer between 2017 and 2021.
A fact sheet on their website warns that towing a camper, camper, boat trailer or horse float requires driving skills, concentration and extra safety precautions.
Maddison said overweight and unstable caravans were “a big problem” across the country because they were often the cause of serious accidents.
“In most cases, drivers just need their driving license and they can hitch up three tonnes or more of caravans and take them on the road without any training… which is crazy,” he told the Mail.
RACQ road safety manager Joel Tucker said the body believes the Queensland Government should support caravan safety initiatives and more training for caravanners.
“For example, ensuring weight limits are not exceeded is vital… we find that around 50 per cent of caravans are overweight, which is illegal and unsafe,” he said.
50 lives and nearly 800 hospitalizations were lost from traffic accidents involving a light passenger vehicle towing a trailer between 2017 and 2021.
But Luke Chippindale of the Australian Caravan and Industries Trade Association opposed the move.
He said the industry believes it is really important to take a practical and pragmatic approach to learning how to tow a caravan.
“The approach we believe is most effective is free, easily accessible driving and towing courses,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘As an industry, we have delivered a wide range of educational materials providing information, advice and guides on a variety of topics including weight distribution and driving conditions.
“We have been lobbying the federal government for quite some time to support this effort through subsidized towing courses so we can ensure that people improve their skills at their own pace and of their own volition.”
Daily Mail Australia has approached the Department of Transport and Main Roads for comment.