David Motton has some top tips for safe towing as the season turns
SUMMER IS NATURALLY the peak of the caravanning season, but for many of us, autumn is actually the best time of year to go touring. Campsites are quieter, the cooler temperatures make for a better night’s sleep, and changing colours in the trees show landscapes at their best.
Towing a caravan in the autumn is a different matter, though. The changing season brings its own challenges if you want to enjoy a safe and stress-free tow.
Wet weather
Fingers crossed, the weather this autumn may put summer to shame. Realistically, there’s a strong chance that you will be towing in the rain. October and November are, on average, two of the three wettest months of the year.
Wet roads mean longer stopping distances, so it’s a sensible precaution to double the distance to the car in front when you tow in the rain.
You also need to make sure that your windscreen is clear, cleaning off the last insect debris of summer before you make your first towing journey in the autumn.
It’s sensible to switch to ‘all-season’ screenwash, rather than continuing with a summer wash that may be too dilute to cope with autumn roads.
Your tyres need to be ready for autumn, as well as your windscreen. Make sure they are inflated to the right pressure for towing before you set off, and check there’s still enough tread. There must be at least 1.6mm of tread depth around the circumference of the tyre and across the central three-quarters of the tyre surface.
Is autumn too early to switch to winter tyres, if you plan to do so? The ideal time to switch to winter rubber will vary, depending on where you live, with an earlier switch making more sense in northern Scotland than southern England.
There’s a very strong case for running four-season tyres in the UK, rather than summer or winter tyres, as all-season rubber should work well over a wider variety of temperatures.
Windy weather
The other troublesome characteristic of the autumn is strong winds. Breezy days won’t cause much trouble if your car and caravan are well matched, properly maintained and driven with due care. Autumn gales, though, are a very different matter.
Keep an eye on the weather forecast in the days before your trip. If a gale is on the way, think about travelling a day early or late to miss the worst of the weather. That’s not always possible, but you can plan your route to avoid exposed stretches of road, especially high bridges. Fo
