GREY nomads escaping the southern states'
freezing conditions are driving a frightening
increase in Queensland accidents involving caravans, it has been revealed.
New figures from Suncorp show that insurance claims from caravanners
soared by a massive 94 percent in the Sunshine State during winter months,
with August being the worst time for accidents.
Western Australia came in second at 40 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of claims plummeted by 30
percent in Victoria, the home base for many grey nomads heading north in
search of the winter sunshine.
The data was sourced from summer claims between December 2016 to February
2017, and winter claims between June 2017 to
August 2017.
No figures were available for the Northern Territory or Tasmania.
'Timely
reminder for drivers to take extra care on the roads'
|
Suncorp spokesperson Alexandra Foley said that throughout the winter
months Queensland had the highest number of caravan claims in the country.
"As grey nomads and seasonal travellers start packing their caravans to
begin the annual migration north, it's a timely reminder for drivers to
take extra care on the roads," she said.
"Unfortunately, we see a significant spike in caravan claims in Queensland
as the temperature drops ... and most of these could be avoided."
Suncorp analysed over 14,000 caravan accident insurance claims across
Australia from its network of brands including Suncorp, CIL, Apia, AAMI
and GIO.
According to the data, caravans colliding with stationary objects were the
most common type of accident, accounting for more than a quarter of all
claims.
"This indicates that many drivers probably lack experience in towing and
manoeuvring a caravan," Ms Foley said.
"In many cases, drivers can avoid these types of accidents and improve
their visibility by having a spotter outside the car, installing cameras
on the rear of the caravan or additional mirrors to assist when driving
and parking.
"This is especially important for inexperienced drivers because towing a
caravan is a very different driving experience.
"Bad driving habits such as inattention, speeding or following too closely
behind other vehicles are amplified and can have dire consequences."
Ms Foley urged anyone planning a caravan holiday to take extra care on the
roads this year.
"Make sure your vehicle and caravan are in good working order, adhere to
speed limits, be courteous to other drivers and also check your insurance
policy is up to date and provides an adequate level of cover before you
leave home," she added..
