Caravan owners warned new laws could land you with a £2,500 fine

As the festive season gets under way, experts at Swansway Motor Group are urging caravan and motorhome owners to check their vehicles and look for changes to the law to avoid penalties of up to £2,500. Following a change to the law in 2021, anyone with a full driving license can now tow a caravan as long as the combined maximum authorized mass (MAM) of both the vehicle and the caravan does not exceed 3,500kg, without further qualifications.

A Swansway spokesperson said: “As not all caravans fall into this category, please ensure you check the weight of your caravan to confirm you are permitted to tow it on a standard permit. If you obtained your driving license before 1 January 1997, you can tow a larger caravan with a combined vehicle and caravan weight limit of up to 8.25 MAM tonnes without needing an additional driving qualification.

“We recommend that you check the details on the back of your driving licence; if you enter category B or BE, you are authorized to drive caravans up to 3,500 kg. If you find Category C1E(107) on your licence, you can tow larger trailers.

“Caravan lights are used less frequently than car lights and therefore are checked much less frequently. This makes it much easier to overlook faults, but driving with a faulty light can result in fines of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 points on your license for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

“Also, caravan tires may not be inspected as often as they should be. Tires can lose pressure over time, especially if the caravan has been stationary for months. Before setting off on a particularly long journey, be sure to check your tires for air pressure, signs of wear and tread depth of at least 1.6mm on the central three-quarters of the tread and all around .

“Having any of these under the legal limit can invalidate your insurance and lead to a fine of up to £2,500 per tire and three points on your licence. When towing a caravan, specific speed limits and lane usage rules apply. On highways, the speed limit for a caravan is 60 mph. The right lane is also prohibited for caravans if the road has three or more lanes.

“On single carriageways, the speed limit is 50 mph to maintain vehicle stability. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a £100 fine and three points.”