With the ongoing number of on road incidents involving caravans, it is great to see that government and industry bodies are too recognising the fundamental need for increased education and awareness on RV road safety.
In particular, the Queensland Police Service is raising awareness of overweight and poorly loaded caravans as these are major factors involved in accidents where the vehicle towing the caravan is at fault.
Sergeant Brett Vinson of the Queensland Police Service is a huge advocate for RV road safety and has his eyes set on big things for the future in the field.
With his experience as a caravanner and research in this area, he has recognised that there is an issue at hand, and something needs to be done.
Speaking with Sergeant Vinson, he has explained how “the Queensland Police Service has engaged help from the Queensland Transport Inspectors (Department of Transport and Main Roads) and have been conducting education and compliance operations.”
While only two operations have been conducted to date, Sergeant Vinson said there would be more to come.
“The operation consists of the Queensland Police Service intercepting motorists, where they then perform random drug and alcohol testing. Afterwards, transport inspectors conduct the weighing side of the operation.
“During these operations, I am able to conduct my research by asking ten short questions. I also use this opportunity to provide each motorist with a copy of the ‘Towing Guide’, which is provided by Caravanning Queensland,” said Sergeant Vinson.
These operations have been flooding social media over the last few months, with most RV enthusiasts praising the efforts of the Queensland Police Service.
The aim is to increase awareness about vehicle weights and work with motorists to ensure they have safe and stable combinations on the road.
Many motorists are completely unaware that they are towing overweight and poorly loaded caravans, putting themselves and other road users at risk. They also run the risk of hefty fines and void insurance if they are caught or have an accident.
With advocates like Sergeant Vinson, combined with other government and industry bodies, the topic of RV road safety isn’t going anywhere anytime soon; and the efforts of these people and bodies must be praised for their time and dedication spent on the issue.
Understanding the growing importance of increasing awareness and education too, rvSafe looks forward to continuing its efforts in this field. Combined with the hard work of others, it is hoped to see an increase in awareness and education, as well as a decrease in RV related incidents on our roads.
