Hi I'm Liz from Caravan Guard insurance. In this video we're going to answer the
simple question do I need towing mirrors for my caravan? I'm joined by Frank an
instructor from Towing Solutions and we're going to go through a demonstration to
see why towing mirrors are so important on the road.
I'm Frank, I work with Towing Solutions
who deliver training for the trailer towing industry in caravans.
I recently retired last year from Cheshire Police where for the bulk of my service
I worked in the Roads Policing arena as an advanced driver and advanced motorcyclist.
The simple answer is yes.
If your caravan is wider than the tow vehicle it restricts the
view and the driver's and passenger sides car mirrors so you can't see through the
caravan. So your towing mirrors extend the view from
the driver's position to the rear of the caravan and to the side of it.
In the simplest of terms you've got to be able
to see a position 20 metres to the rear of the caravan or the trailer and four
metres outside of it. So it covers that sort of triangular area that your car
mirrors can't see, but the extended mirrors, the wider mirrors of the caravan towing
mirrors can see into.
Rather than explaining it to you let me show you using the towing
vehicle, the training vehicle, and the caravan a practical demonstration of how
you would set your mirrors up and what you're checking for.
You asked me earlier about towing mirrors and whether we need them or not
whilst towing. What we've set up here using the training vehicle and the
caravan I've paced out 20 metres from the mirror to the rear of the caravan
and four meters out from the line of the caravan. Hopefully you can see two cones
and a red BMW car? The cone with the jacket on (it's got the white sleeve over it)
is 20 metres to the rear and four metres out. The BMW is clearly in
view and that's simulating a sort of lane two position on a dual carriageway
or a motorway. To the left-hand side of it is a cone that's just got no jacket,
it's just a bare red cone. If I was to sit in the driver's seat that cone is
indicating the maximum I can see to the rear of the car. So it's my field of
view between the red cone and anything to the right, including that BMW.
Okay, so you might not think we need extending towing mirrors to assist the
car. The driver's position with the caravan straight, adjust the mirror and
as you put the mirrors on it extends the view. What it's doing now is giving us a
view into the blind spot that the car mirror cannot see. Looking back towards
the rear of the car where the red BMW we saw earlier is we now see the cone
without the jacket and also a third cone right on the corner of the indicating
BMW. That blind spot we need to check out. With just the car mirror we cannot see it.
With the extending mirrors it comes into play and you can build that into your
driving plan whether you going to change manoeuvres, overtake, change lanes or
whatever. That's what the law says - 20 metres back and 4 metres out. What we're
trying to set up is a real-world application of it. The car isn't static,
the car's going say 40 to 50 miles an hour down a dual carriageway or a motorway
you're considering changing lanes, you look in your car mirror and well in the
distance you can see the red BMW that's well further on than 20 metres, probably
double it. Red BMW is in play, you can see it, you consider your maneouvre,
plenty of time. His approach speed is good, your speed's fine, you can change lanes. You
mirror, you indicate, you move out. That's without the towing mirror. With the
extending mirror you gain the earlier view of the BMW that's been creeping up
in lane one behind you. He's decided he can get out in front of
the red BMW. He's done his mirror check, he's does his indicate and he moves out at
the same point you're going with him. Without the extending mirror you can't
see him. With the mirror you probably wouldn't even move.
He finishes overtaking and it's totally safe. The extending mirror covers that
blind spot area that your car mirror cannot see into and it's crucial you do see
into that area before you consider your manoeuvre.
Hopefully this demonstration shows how vital the extending towing mirror is for
the use on the road. Without that covering the blind spot your safety is
at risk and other road user' safety is at risk - the BMW the other BMW. But take
the cars out of the equation it could be a motorcyclist
that's doing nothing wrong - it's just
maintaining his own speed limit of 70 on a dual carriageway when your sat
comfortable at 45 or 50 or 60. By changing lanes the effect on the bike - frigtening recurrence.
So there you have it. That goes to show how vitally important towing mirrors are
for all caravanners, for everybody's safety on the road.
For more information about towing mirrors why not head on over to the Caravan Guard website where you
can find a gear guide all about towing mirrors and the different types of towing
mirrors available for your tow car. Thanks for watching.