Like thousands of Australians restless to be rid of COVID lockdowns, the Robertson family hitched a caravan to their car and set their sights on wide open spaces as soon as restrictions eased.

“As soon as we could we got a caravan and set out for a trip around Australia,” mother-of-four Lynette Robertson said.

She and husband Robert are among the one in 13 Australian households with a caravan registered, according to the Caravan Industry Association of Australia.

Demand has reached record highs, according to the association which cited an 80 per cent increase in the number of units imported into the country since 2019.

But after several horror accidents and costly fines for drivers, police and experts are calling for stricter requirements and protections in an industry they say has jumped the gun.

“People think they can buy a caravan, hitch it to their car and head off,” Sergeant Nathan Ivey of Townsville Highway Patrol said.

“That’s not the case, and we’re seeing more and more things are going wrong.”

The majority of caravan crashes and incidents he has been involved in were due to uneven or overweight loads.

“I urge travellers to check their weight once they’ve packed all their gear and before they set out on the road,” he said.

“If you’ve got too much weight at the back of the caravan you’ll sway and that’s what they call the tail wagging the dog.

“You’ll lose control of the car because the caravan will be driving it for you.

“If there’s too much weight on the tow ball it will lift your vehicle up and impact how it handles on the road.

“We see a lot of unsafe driving because of that.”

Key points

• Demand for caravans is at an all-time high with the number of units imported increasing 80 per cent since 2019
• As more Aussies hit the road with new toys in tow, safety knowledge is alarmingly low
• Police and industry experts are calling for greater requirements for drivers and retailers

Source
ABC News