In December 2021, the law was amended to allow more drivers to legally tow trailers without additional information on their driver`s license or train exams. Following this change, here are the current towing rules of the United Kingdom. Until the new towing rules come into effect, you must continue to follow the current rules for towing a trailer or caravan based on the time you passed your driving test. Following the advice of the Secondary Legislation Monitoring Committee that the Department of Transport had not provided sufficient evidence of “the potential increase in towing accidents resulting in injury”, the House of Commons discussed the amendments on November 8, where Karin Smyth, MP, drew attention to the “30% constant current failure rate of the B+E trailer test. In 2019/20 there were 8575 people. According to the government`s proposals, these people will take to our streets,” she said. 16. In December 2021, the UK`s towing rules were changed, so even as an experienced caravan driver, it`s important to know how these changes might affect you. When measuring the total weight of the caravan, you must include the occupants of the towing car and the luggage in the car or caravan. If you think you`re getting particularly close to your car`s maximum towing capacity, it may be a good idea to get a more accurate number using a special measuring tool. If your instructor has booked your exam for you, talk to them about what happens next. Once the new laws come into force, drivers who pass the test after 1 January 1997 will be able to tow a trailer weighing up to 3,500 kg (without additional training). The class of the B+E driving licence is automatically included in the test.
Depending on your needs, there are a number of high-performance towing vehicles to choose from. As a general rule, heavier and larger vehicles with torque engines are better suited for towing than light city cars with low engines. Your car`s manual should tell you if it is capable of pulling and the maximum weight it can safely support. Alternatively, this information can sometimes be found on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate. If this information cannot be found, it is very likely that your car is not suitable for towing. Two maximum towable loads may be specified, one for a braked trailer and one for an unbraked trailer. Driving licences issued from 19 January 2013 to 15 January 2013 December 2021, were subject to the same restrictions, but if the trailer weighed more than 750 kg, there was no longer a provision that it could not weigh more than the towing vehicle. The probability was in any case extremely unlikely, and the maximum MAM for the towing vehicle and trailer in this case remained at 3 500 kg. Although the driving test for cars and trailers is no longer required by law, DVSA urges drivers to train before towing for safety reasons. It`s definitely not a bad idea to get lessons to increase not only your towing safety, but also your confidence. Fortunately, there are a number of private driving schools and other organizations that still offer towing courses.
The Nissan Qashqai SUV offers between 1040kg and 1800kg of towing capacity depending on engine/powertrain configuration, making it more suitable for heavier loads as well as large caravans. For example, the popular Vauxhall Corsa can tow up to 1,200 kg, with the exception of the 1.2-liter model with 75 hp, limited to 500 kg. The largest number can accommodate some of the smaller two-berth caravans, although once you factor in luggage and passengers, it can crawl above the maximum number allowed. That`s why most small hatchbacks and city cars are better at towing small trailers. Everything you tow should never exceed the trailer`s MAM or the vehicle`s maximum towing capacity. These should be treated as absolute limits, and the reasonable option is to stay well below them to be sure. Whether you`re planning to tow a caravan during your summer vacation or pull a trailer with goods for work, it`s important to remember which vehicles your driver`s license allows you to drive. Towing laws in the UK are expected to change soon. If you passed your driving test from 1 January 1997 to 18 January 2013, you can currently drive a car or van up to 3,500 kg MAM with a trailer up to 750 kg MAM (up to 4,250 kg in total) or a trailer over 750 kg MAM, provided that it does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle (up to 3,500 kg in total). Until now, you should have passed a car and trailer driving test if you wanted to pull something heavier. The rules of what you can tow are different depending on when you passed your car driver`s license exam.
For more details on the new rules, see Gov.uk (see NIDirect.gov.uk for towing rules for Northern Ireland). Whether you`re planning to tow a caravan, trailer, horse box or boat, it`s important to understand what your driving licence allows you to tow, the laws governing towing in the UK and how to pull safely. Our comprehensive guide to towing in the UK covers it all. The rules for towing a trailer or caravan with a car were changed on December 16, 2021. Find out how changes affect you. There are a few more things to consider when towing your home from home. Although your standard driver`s license now allows you to tow a trailer up to 3,500 kg (MAM), any trailer weighing more than 750 kg will still need to be braked, regardless of the vehicle towing it. Caravans start at about 1,000 kg and reach more than 2,500 kg, so everyone is held back. Whether you want to tow a horse box, caravan, trailer or boat behind your car, you will need a full driving license for this, from 16 December 2021 you will not need an additional train ticket as long as the maximum permissible mass (MAM) of the trailer does not exceed 3,500 kg. If you need to tow a heavier load than your standard driving licence allows, you must have a C1E category driving licence – this allows you to drive medium-sized vehicles between 3,500 and 7,500 kg MAM (with a trailer up to 750 kg). The combined MMA of the two must not exceed 12,000 kg.
The government has announced a change in towing regulations in England, Scotland and Wales. On December 16, 2021, the new rules came into effect, but what are they? Read on to find out. If you carry something heavier than your authorised capacity before the law changes, you can expect 6 points on your licence and a fine of up to £1,000. If you are unsure of your current towing capacity, you can check your driver`s license information on the government website. Not all vehicles are suitable for towing, but those with a set weight limit can tow legally and safely. It is important to check these limits before laying off a trailer to avoid potentially serious damage to the vehicle or even a traffic accident. If you`re not sure about towing rules on UK roads, check Gov.uk for more information. For more information on the new towing rules in England, Scotland and Wales, please visit the government website or Halfords.com our range of train accessories. From 15 November 2021, England, Scotland and Wales will introduce new rules for towing a caravan or trailer with a car.
There are separate guidelines for Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the maximum permissible mass (MAM) of the trailer must be less than the total weight of the vehicle to increase this problem. However, this shouldn`t be a big deal, as most of the requirements for towing cars “on the trailer” or towing a caravan fall within this framework. When towing, different speed limits may apply, these are the current restrictions. You will be affected by the new towing rules, depending on the year in which you passed your driving test: if you tow on public roads, if you do it dangerously, you can be chased and subject to a heavy fine, penalty points or even a driving ban.