Accessories
Caravan and Motorhome Safety: 10 Ways To Upgrade
The National Caravan Council estimates there are more than a million leisure caravans in the UK. This includes more than 555,000 touring caravans and 225,000 motorhomes. These vehicles offer a convenient way to explore the UK and Europe. But to make sure your time on the road is fun and trouble-free, it’s essential to follow some basic caravan and motorhome safety guidelines.
In this article, we’ll outline 10 important caravan and motorhome safety tips that will keep you, your family, and your vehicle safe on the road.
1. Upgrade your caravan security
Keeping your vehicle secure should be high on your priority list, especially if you own a towable vehicle like a caravan, or if you store it away from home.
The best investments in caravan security include:
Online security is also important when you’re on the road. Invest in methods to keep your caravan WiFi secure (such as a VPN), and make sure any expensive products are stored safely out of sight at all times.
2. Pack your caravan safely
Understand the basic rules for loading your caravan safely. These include:
- Load heavier items over the axle
- Make sure heavy items are stored low down (securely on the floor if possible)
- Don’t exceed your caravan’s payload (i.e. the weight of items you can safely carry on board your caravan).
Watch this video for more information on packing your caravan safely:
3. Childproof your caravan
If you often travel with young children, make sure you take all the same precautions as you would at home. This includes adding child-safe locks to drawers and doors where needed, using corner protectors, and tucking away any loose wires or trip hazards.
If possible, stay at child-friendly caravan sites. Not only will they have more amenities for kids, they’re also more likely to be able to help with extra tips for childproofing your caravan at their specific site.
4. Pet-proof your caravan
Similarly, make sure your caravan or motorhome is suitable for pets if you’re planning to bring along a cat or dog. That includes accounting for pets in your car and caravan weight calculations — large dogs, in particular, can take up a considerable amount of your allowance.
Create a pet-friendly space on your pitch and use a guard to keep your pet safe when they’re there. If possible, allocate a space for your pet both indoors and outdoors, so they can be wherever they’re most comfortable.
5. Stow bikes and boats safely
Many caravanners are super active. But if you’re taking bikes, kayaks, or canoes with you, it’s important to know how to stow or attach these to your caravan safely.
You have several options for mounting these items:
- On top of your caravan — if you choose this option, make sure your vehicle won’t exceed any height limits for bridges or tunnels on your journey
- At the rear of your caravan — consider how much weight you’re adding to the back of the vehicle, as this can make the caravan swing.
If you have space, stowing these items inside the caravan can help avoid potential complications.
6. Comply with vehicle towing weights
A loaded caravan should never weigh more than 85% of the towing vehicle’s kerbweight. You can find out your car’s kerbweight in your owner’s manual.
This is important for both legal and safety reasons. An overloaded caravan can cause excessive swinging, especially at high speeds (like on the motorway). So it’s essential that you don’t exceed these legal limits.
Find out more about adhering to caravan and motorhome rules and regulations.
7. Park and hitch your caravan safely
Park your caravan at least 6 metres away from other caravans or motorhomes on the site. This allows for privacy and means you’re less likely to pick up bumps and scratches when manoeuvring your vehicle. But it also means you’re a safe distance from them in case there’s a problem in or around their vehicle.
If possible, get a passenger or neighbour to guide you into your parking spot, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the size of your vehicle.
When you’re all hitched up, avoid storing any fuel containers under your vehicle. Also, don’t use any fuel-burning equipment (like camping stoves or disposable barbecues) in your vehicles or under an awning. These can give off poisonous fumes, and they’re a serious fire hazard if used in an enclosed space.
8. Check your smoke alarms
If your caravan hasn’t been used for a while, check your smoke alarms are still working. The same goes for carbon monoxide alarms if you have them, or any other alarm/security system you have in place.
9. Check your caravan tyres
Before setting off on a long trip, check the tyre pressure of both your car and your caravan (or just your motorhome, depending on which type of vehicle you have). This is especially important if your vehicle has been in storage for a while.
Get a pressure gauge (or borrow one from a neighbour). Most caravans require tyre pressure of 58 to 60 PSI. Be careful not to overinflate; the maximum pressure can usually be found on the side of the tyre itself.
Similarly, check the tread on your tyres. The legal tread depth limit is 1.6mm. So if your tyres have a very shallow tread, you may need to change them before you start off.
10. Know your caravan site
When you arrive at your caravan site, get to know where the caravan and motorhome safety equipment is held. You should know where to find:
- Any firefighting equipment (such as fire blankets or fire extinguishers)
- First aid kits
- Defibrillator (if available on site).
If possible, you should carry a first aid kit, fire blanket, and fire extinguisher in your caravan at all times.