Terrifying footage captured the moment the wheels of a caravan being towed by a ute broke before it nearly collided with an oncoming car on a busy road.
The shocking incident was captured on the dashboard camera of a vehicle driving behind the caravan.
The axle carrying the two rear wheels suddenly came loose from the trailer, causing the ute to leave the road and fall onto the grass on the side of the road.
The shocking accident occurred just as another van passed by the caravan and both vehicles narrowly avoided an accident.
The driver behind the trailer was stunned.
“Shit, fuck a brick,” he said. “He was very lucky.”
The passenger in the car was heard saying, “Let’s make sure he’s okay.”
Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the trailer.
Shocking dash cam footage captured the moment a motorist towing a caravan lost control of the trailer (pictured) after the axle carrying the trailer’s two rear wheels broke.
Social media users praised the ute driver for his quick thinking.
“All our props to the driver for saving,” one person wrote.
“What a damn save from the driver,” wrote another.
“You did well to keep that up,” added a third.
Others said the incident was a reminder for motorists to keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front of them.
That’s why you don’t get too close. Stay two seconds or more back,” one person wrote.
“This is not following the wheel,” another person responded.
Some commenters made suggestions about what may have caused the incident.
“Those (would be) some broken U-bolts,” another person wrote.
“That happened to me too, the U-bolts on the second axle broke,” another person wrote.
‘Weak/defective/broken leaf spring or rusty bolts/brackets. This happened to me on a trailer, except only one side came loose (the right side), a third party intervened.
One commenter said the ute driver was towing “a poorly built caravan” and was urged to have the trailer inspected by the manufacturer.
Caravan axles are a vital metal component of the trailer, connecting the trailer to the wheels to ensure the caravan can be towed safely on the road.
While axle failure is common, various behaviors can inadvertently contribute to the problem, such as overloading a caravan.
When a caravan is overloaded, the excess weight puts unnecessary pressure on the axle.
Axle failures can also occur if the suspension has been affected. Drivers are urged to regularly check and maintain caravan axles.
Drivers should also avoid driving too fast while towing a caravan, as this will increase the impact load on the axle, which can damage the structure.
Caravans must comply with vehicle safety standards in Australia, as outlined in the Australian Design Rules (ADR).
Motorists in all states should ensure their caravans have been properly inspected to assess whether they are suitable for towing on roads across the country.