October 2009

Mayhem revives calls for mandatory training

Towing courses will become compulsory, says instructor

By DENNIS AMOR

THE boss of a nationwide company which organises caravan and trailer towing courses believes training will eventually become mandatory in Australia.

Mr Eggenhuizen: support

"If we follow European trends – and we generally do – then I believe it will be inevitable that towing courses will be compulsory within the next few years," Tow-Ed founder John Eggenhuizen told Caravanning News.

His warning follows a horror few weeks on Australian roads in which four caravanners have died and many others were injured.

The mayhem renewed calls for legislation requiring caravanners to undergo training and special tests before being allowed to hit the open road.

Mr Eggenhuizen, whose award-winning company delivers towing courses through a network of dedicated instructors throughout Australia leading to a nationally recognised qualification, said he supported training for caravanners before they set out on their journeys.

"In the UK anyone who tows anything over 750kg needs an endorsement on their licence," he explained. "It was introduced post-2000 so anyone who was towing after that year had to have an endorsement, and those who had been towing for a while could get the endorsement but didn't need to."

He said Australia's caravan industry was very conscious of the need for people to be educated in the art of towing.

"From talking with key members, they are keen for the industry to promote self-regulation by recommending that clients attend a nationally recognised towing course."

Mr Eggenhuizen believed it might not be necessary for compulsory licence endorsement if the industry was seen to be encouraging clients to attend courses.

"There are on average about 300,000 caravans out there at any given time, not to mention boats, horse floats, fifth wheelers and other assorted trailers," he said.

"To date Tow-Ed has conducted courses for a little over 2000 students ... this gives us a long way to go.

"Legislation for compulsory towing courses will only be brought into reality if enough pressure is brought to bear on the legislators by the motoring organisations and the insurance companies.

"But for now, the industry is running with the ball and is promoting towing courses for their clients."

Meanwhile, the lack of training has been raised by Sydney Daily Telegraph columnist Steve Price who said more and more retired Australians were taking to Australia's bush roads after a life of driving on suburban streets.

"Many of these retirees simply hook caravans to the back of four-wheel-drive vehicles and go bush," he wrote.

"Unlike professional, licensed drivers who must maintain log books and strict driving hours – except, of course, the pill-popping cowboy minority – these happy-go-lucky adventurers just take off.

"It seems many of them underestimate the distances they need to travel, the condition of the roads and the dangers waiting for them out there. People try to travel too far in a day and get fatigued, driving into late evening with blinding sunsets and wildlife posing dangers.

"Of course, no one teaches these people how to safely tow heavy caravans or drive bulky campervans properly."