11/12/2025
Great advice here - worth a read. Also, in WA any tow vehicle is limited to 100kms/hour- no exceptions for weight or length.
CARAVANS & MOTORHOMES - TRAVELING IN CONVOY.
As we now enter the Christmas holiday season, there are many family and friend’s groups travelling together to enjoy a break away over Christmas.
There will be a lot more vehicles on the roads including, cars, motorcycles, motorhomes, cars towing caravans and more trucks delivering the vastly increased supply of general goods, food and gifts on very tight schedules.
We all want is to get to our destinations on time and safely.
Many groups travel together, or two or more caravans and other vehicles may have simply caught up with a slower vehicle.
Some can overtake far more easily than other vehicle types.
Cars and motorcycles usually have faster acceleration and can often get around slower vehicles quicker and in a shorter length of road.
Caravans, motorhomes and especially trucks however they have poorer acceleration and require more distance to safely overtake. Many trucks are also speed limited so may need assistance from the slower vehicles to get around them on a short overtaking lane section. It is easily achieved by simply slowing when the truck is in the overtaking lane beside you.
It is not a competition, so please assist faster vehicles overtake by slowing once they are in the overtaking lane beside you. This will help them pass you and get out of your way when the overtaking lane ends a few hundred meters further up the road, making it safer for all.
If travelling with other caravans please leave a safe distance between vehicles of a few hundred meters. There is absolutely NO NEED to follow closely for kilometres on end as it prevents faster vehicles from safely overtaking if they cannot ‘leapfrog’ between vehicles.
If the first vehicle brakes, then all have to brake, it just does not make any sense.
Some do it, they say, for security. You should still be able to monitor a vehicle many 100’s of meters or even a kilometre in front or behind with regular checks in the mirrors.
If your UHF is not powerful enough to talk to another vehicle more than a few meters in front, you need a new UHF or antenna.
It is also illegal for vehicle over 7.5m, including caravan rigs, to follow another long vehicle by less than 60m unless overtaking or on dual lane roads throughout Australia.
If travelling out west in areas used by road trains this distance can extend to 200 meters.
In NSW for example the road rules clearly state: -
ROAD RULES 2014 - REG 127
Keeping a minimum distance between long vehicles
127 Keeping a minimum distance between long vehicles
(1) The driver of a long vehicle must drive at least the required minimum distance behind another long vehicle travelling in front of the driver, unless the driver is--
(a) driving on a multi-lane road or any length of road in a built-up area, or
(b) overtaking.
: Maximum penalty--20 penalty units.
(2) In this rule--
"long vehicle" means a vehicle that, together with any load or projection, is 7.5 metres long, or longer.
Note :
"Vehicle" includes a combination--see rule 15(d).
"required minimum distance" means--
(a) for a road train that is behind a long vehicle--200 metres or, if another law of this jurisdiction specifies a different distance, that distance, or
(b) for a long vehicle other than a road train that is behind a long vehicle--60 metres or, if another law of this jurisdiction specifies a different distance, that distance.
………………………………………..
Yes, this goes for all the designated long vehicles including trucks.
It is often the second vehicle in the convoy that can be the problem if they follow too close and don’t overtake a quickly as possible when safe. All they do is restrict another vehicle following from getting around. Please do not be that inconsiderate idiot on the roads.
This builds aggression, anxiety and the often-resultant dangerous driving practices in some drivers that cost lives. It is often the innocent drivers and passengers that get killed.
PLEASE show that you are a part of the solution and NOT a part of the problem on our roads by assisting faster vehicles to overtake by not following too close.
Use your UHF to communicate and assist faster vehicle to overtake by regularly pulling over when safe if there is a long convoy behind you wanting to get around.
Enjoy your drive with less anxiety and the knowledge that you assisted other drivers helping make our roads a safer place for all.
More information on this and other caravan safe towing information can be found in our popular book –
SAFE CARAVAN TOWING – THE MANUAL
Available from the Truck Friendly web site in E-Book or printed copy posted throughout Australia.
https://www.truckfriendly.com.au/safe-caravan-towing-the.../
We currently offer FREE Christmas gift wrapping, a small gift and upgraded postage to Express Australia Post for orders received before midnight on Friday, December 19th, 2025.
The ideal Christmas gift for that new or the experienced caravanner that you care about.
Stay safe.
Cheers
Ken Wilson
Truck Friendly caravan road safety program
[email protected]
