Vehicle Loading – All Questions

Strong winds or buffeting from large vehicles can cause a trailer or caravan to swing from side to side (‘snake’). If this happens, ease off the accelerator. Don’t brake harshly, steer sharply or increase your speed.

Check the vehicle handbook. This should give you guidance on the correct tyre pressures for your vehicle and when you may need to adjust them. If you’re carrying a heavy load, you may need to adjust the headlights as well. Most cars have a switch on the dashboard to do this.

A heavy load on your roof rack will reduce the stability of the vehicle because it moves the centre of gravity away from that designed by the manufacturer. Be aware of this when you drive round bends and corners. If you change direction at speed, your vehicle and/or load could become unstable and you could lose control.

Any load will have an effect on the handling of your vehicle, and this becomes worse as you increase the load. You need to be aware of this when carrying passengers or heavy loads, fitting a roof rack or towing a trailer.

Carrying heavy loads will affect control and the vehicle’s handling characteristics. If the vehicle you’re driving is overloaded, you’ll be held responsible.

Towing a caravan or trailer affects the way the towing vehicle handles. A stabiliser device isn’t designed to overcome instability caused by incorrect loading but it can give added security in side winds and from buffeting caused by large vehicles.

Riding in a towed caravan is highly dangerous. The safety of the entire unit is dependent on the stability of the trailer. Moving passengers would make the caravan unstable and could cause loss of control.

In the event that the trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle, the breakaway cable activates the trailer brakes before snapping. This allows the towing vehicle to get free of the trailer and out of danger.

You must know how to load your trailer or caravan so that the hitch exerts an appropriate downward force on the tow ball. Information about the maximum permitted noseweight can be found in your vehicle handbook or obtained from your vehicle manufacturer’s agent.

Any load must be securely fastened to the vehicle. The safest way to carry items on the roof is in a specially designed roof box. This will help to keep your luggage secure and dry, and it also has less wind resistance than loads carried exposed on a roof rack.

It’s your responsibility to ensure that all children in your car are secure. Suitable restraints include a child seat, baby seat, booster seat or booster cushion. It’s essential that any restraint used is suitable for the child’s size and weight, and fitted according to the manufacturer’s instructions.