Many van operators extend the flexibility of their vehicles by towing trailers with them – the average van is designed to ensure towing is a simple process.
There are, however, a number of measures to consider when consider using a van for towing, particularly as regards the law. The regulations are not difficult to follow but surprisingly easy to fall foul of – do this and the company’s drivers and the company itself will be at risk of prosecution and worse, in danger of causing injury.
Driver rules
The first aspect to consider is the driver. A fleet manager needs to ensure that any of the company employees intending to drive a van with anything hitched to it are legally permitted to do so. Anyone with a standard category B licence, as issued for driving cars, can also drive a van, but not every van.
If a driver’s first full licence was issued before 1997, they can legally drive any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) up to 7.5 tonnes – very few van and trailer combinations will exceed this figure.
GVW, also known as maximum authorised mass (MAM) is the van’s maximum weight when fully loaded, including the driver and any passengers.
Drivers who passed their test after 1st January 1997 are subject to very different rules. They can only drive vehicles with a maximum GVW of 3.5 tonnes, or 4.25 tonnes if the vehicle is electric, due to the extra weight of the batteries in an EV.
Additionally such drivers can only tow a maximum weight of 750kg – this applies to all attached units, whether they are trailers, caravans, horse boxes or whatever. Any driver required to exceed these limits will need to undergo training to earn the additional qualifications they will need.
Van rules
Once the driver’s qualifications are confirmed, the next consideration is what can be legally towed with a van, and this depends on the vehicle weight of both van and trailer and the towing capacity, effectively the maximum payload of the trailer.
The two figures needed are the GVW, normally quoted on any van documentation, and
the gross combination weight (GCW). This is the total weight of both the van and trailer together and to produce the towing capacity the GVW is subtracted from the GCW –exceeding this figure is both illegal and dangerous.
Towbar choices
No van can be used for towing without being fitted with a towbar, and it is essential that the chosen unit is suited to the role it is intended to do – primarily how much weight will be hung on it.
The unit should always be fitted by a qualified professional – particularly as installation needs to include the electrics for brake lights and indicators. This does not have to be an onerous task – most van manufacturers offer towbars as accessories which can be fitted during manufacture.
There are three basic designs of towbar. The vast majority of those fitted to vans are of the traditional flange type – the towball is bolted to a plate, the flange plate, which is in turn bolted to the vehicle chassis.
A more modern design is the swan neck – this is a one-piece unit that curves under the vehicle’s bumper and looks less intrusive than a flange version. A variation of this is the detachable swan neck – this is particularly suited to operators who don’t want to catch their uniforms on a greasy towball while using the vehicle’s rear doors.
An extra useful addition when fitting a towbar is a set of extendable mirrors, making it easier for the driver to see beyond the extended length of the van and trailer combination.
Braking rules
Next on the list of considerations is braking. If the towed vehicle weighs less than 750kg, then the van’s brakes are considered capable of providing sufficient stopping force.
More than 750kg, and the towed vehicle must have its own brakes. A properly designed trailer of such size will include fitted brakes, and these are self-contained units, requiring no additional connections to the van itself.
These systems work by recording the change in inertia when the towing vehicle brakes and automatically applying the trailer brakes through a linkage. The amount of braking increases as that of the van does, and when the deceleration stops the trailer brakes automatically disengage.
Rules of the road
The final, and equally important, aspect of towing is staying legal and safe while at the wheel – but this is where many van drivers flout the law, particularly as regards speed limits.
It is often forgotten that speed limits for vans that are towing are lower than those for solo vehicles. In a built-up area the same limit of 30mph, or in some areas 20mph, applies to vans as it does to cars, even if said van is towing.
Once out on the open road, however, any vehicle towing is restricted to a limit 10mph slower than normal traffic (this also applies, for example to cars towing caravans). So 40mph becomes 30mph, and van and trailer combinations on a single-carriageway road rated at the national speed limit should do no more than 50mph. On dual carriageways or the motorway towing vehicles should not exceed 60mph.
Tachographs have also been a bone of contention among van operators, as regulations have required vans and trailers with a combined weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes to have a tachograph, along with an Operator Licence for its owner – unless the vehicle only travels a maximum of 33 miles from its base.
Recent large electric vans have exceeded the 3.5-tonne limit merely due to the weight of their batteries, and after long periods of lobbying by the industry, the government is in the process of bringing forward legislation to rectify the situation.
Towing the line
As described above, meeting the various regulations is essential when towing with a van, but general safety considerations are just as important. The driver will need to be even more focused on the job at hand, especially when first towing, as they will be handling more weight than they are used to.
Pre-journey checks should not be skimped. Obviously, the weight must be checked for legality – if necessary, by use of a weigh bridge.
The trailer attachment should be checked to ensure it is secure, along that the indicators and brake lights work properly. If the trailer has its own brakes the breakaway cable, which applies the trailer brakes should it become detached from the towing vehicle, should be checked.
An obvious yet easily overlooked check is to ensure that the registration plate on the trailer is the same as that of the vehicle towing it. Both the police and VOSA, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, conduct random roadside checks and non-matching plates are an easy invitation for them to pull you over.
Also take a look at the general condition of the combination – aspects such as properly inflated tyres with legal tread depth, no broken components and such. For any professional van operator this should be second nature – deficiencies here are both a safety issue and another reason for the police or VOSA to stop you on the road for a spot check.
What’s in the van and trailer, the cargo, also needs to be checked. Nothing should stick out beyond the limits of the trailer – particularly from either side and preferably the end. If an item is so long it has to overhang the back it needs to have something attached to its rear extremity, such as a clean red flag, so that other road users following can clearly see it.
The distribution of the load is all-important to keep the van and trailer stable, particularly under braking or in windy conditions. If the cargo only half-fills a load bay, lay it flat across the entire floor to ensure the lowest centre of gravity, not up to the roof at one end. If the trailer has centre wheels secure the heaviest load item directly over them.
Careful, smooth driving pays even more benefits when towing. The extra weight means the combination takes longer to slow down, so earlier, smoother braking is key. Stamping on the brake pedal can lead to jack-knifing, and an accident will inevitably follow.
Note that even with the most careful driving there may be occasions, such as in gusty winds, when the towed item starts to snake behind the van – easing off the power gently should enable control to be regained.
So to conclude, towing a trailer can vastly increase the usability of your van, but it is a direction not to be taken lightly. Follow all of the laws, the rules, and the safety guidelines, and the van will add a great deal more versatility to a business.
You can find out more about the requirements for towing trailers in Britain here. Advice on what you can tow if you hold a standard driving licence can be found here.
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