Towing Safely (Drive & manoeuvre a trailer)
We deliver a practical hands-on driving experience, providing the driver the opportunity to learn and practice new towing skills. There is no lecture room theory.
Course Aim
Drive and Manoeuvre a Trailer has been developed to enhance your on-road and off-road towing skills, by covering easy-to-learn techniques, which are designed from extensive experience in all types of situations involving the full range of trailers.
Course Content, In Brief
This Tow Safely course addresses the general principles applied to towing including, but not limited to:
-
Vehicle and trailer, caravan, camper-van, horse float, boat.
-
Towing legislation, Vehicle & Trailer Specifications, and Dynamics.
-
Trailer inspections, trip preparation, pre-departure checks,
-
Loading positions & securing the load.
-
Coupling & uncoupling.
-
Causes, prevention and actions on trailer swaying.
-
Safety chains, trailer brakes, brake-away system, manual over-ride braking (Redarc) and Load Equalisers.
-
Correct seat positions and steering methods, to always be in control of the vehicle and trailer.
-
-
Emergency Braking ABS, threshold, trailer braking and adjusting trailer brake bias. (controlling trailer both on road and off-road).
-
Towing safely techniques, scanning and hazard awareness, include, but are not limited to:
-
town, country, highway, residential, carpark.
-
gravel, off-road (specific to semi-off-road caravan/camper-van dependent).
-
Off-road camper-vans – negotiating ascents. descents in low range and recovery, if required.
-
Driving to reduce wear and tear on the vehicle and trailer.
-
-
Reversing a trailer/caravan:
-
in a straight line;
-
uphill, around corners.
-
into tight areas.
-
90 degrees left and right.
-
-
Emergency situations, such as:
-
Tyre blow out, brake failure.
-
Flat Tyre Changing.
-
Trailer Swaying (causes, avoiding and action on trailer swaying).
-
Causes and preventing Trailer Bounce/Porpoising. or
-
Mechanical failure with your trailer.
-
The day consists of a variety of road and traffic conditions designed to cover all areas of trailer use in off road and on road situations.
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
Course Timings
-
The course generally is a half-day course, approximately 4 to 5 hours.
A4ADE Practical Training Area
A4ADE exclusive Driver Training Facility at Kurwongbah offers terrain which is similar to the terrain that people would be required to Drive and Manoeuvre a Trailer in their everyday driving travels.
GROUP BOOKING TRAINING AREAS
-
Bespoke 4WD Education specialises in the design and implementation of client/group-specific driver training and education.
-
Our Towing Safely Course can be delivered for groups who maybe traveling in convoy whether its on road or planning to travel the Simpson Desert, Cape York, the Kimberley’s, just to name a few.
-
All courses are portable allowing travelling groups to be trained in locations familiar to their day-to-day use of 4WD and trailers.
-
Our “make-specific” courses not only cover all mandatory training elements for the Towing Safely, but the course is contextualised to ensure they meet the specific requirements of the convoy and their towing vehicle and trailer.
What course participants will require to bring on the course:
-
Your 4WD Vehicle with trailer (one vehicle and trailer can be used for up to 2 participants).
-
Caravan/trailer, ideally fully loaded.
-
Your vehicle will need at least half a tank of fuel.
-
Driving license (that will be required for checking prior to course commencement).
-
Appropriate clothing (suited for the weather temptures and conditions) – at a minimum should comprise of long-sleeved shirt, long pants, enclosed shoes with good soles and a hat.
-
Sunscreen and insect repellent.
-
Pad and pen (if you like to take notes).
-
Morning tea and a light lunch with plenty of drinking water in the summer months.
