Safety Features Every Caravan Setup Needs

Towing a caravan across the country for a trip away from home is a standard occurrence for many people. It’s part and parcel of Australian culture, hitching up the caravan to your ute or 4WD and hitting the open road, be it to drive through the outback or to head out to another state or territory. It’s an experience most people have at least once in their lives.

However, ensuring you’re safe when on your adventures is paramount. This means, when you kit out your caravan, you need to ensure it’s fit for the journey. But what exactly do you need for added safety here?

A Reversing Camera

One of the single biggest issues with your caravan is visibility. You need to be able to see as much as possible, and this means when going forwards and backwards, because at times you will need to reverse in or out of spaces. This is especially true if you’re in a tight campsite that requires some manoeuvring, or you’re moving in and out of parking spaces on pit stops, then you need something more than just your mirrors. Sure, these show you where things sit, but you need to see directly behind you. Caravan reversing cameras are mounted on the rear of the van, and you get a continuous view in the cab. This means you can see exactly what’s going on as you reverse, ensuring safety for you and those around you.

Tyre Pressure Monitoring

A slow puncture can ruin all of your plans in one fell swoop. And on a caravan, it’s not as easy to spot as you might initially think it is. By the time a flat tyre on a caravan is impacting handling, it’s already too far gone.

Tyre pressure monitoring systems can be fitted to both the cab and the tow vehicle, and they give you real-time pressure alerts and temperature readings on a cab-mounted display. All you need to do is check your threshold and ensure you add air or replace the tyre when you can if you notice anything untoward.

Electric Brake Controller

If you’re towing a van that far outweighs its tow vehicle’s braking capacity, you’re asking for trouble. It’s that simple. It’s a serious hazard to stop at any time, especially when you need to make an emergency stop.

An electric brake controller will activate the van’s independent brakes in proportion to how hard the tow vehicle is stopping.

Proportional controllers respond to actual deceleration via an accelerometer and a time-delayed signal. This means the braking effort matches the situation.

Stabiliser Bars

Sway can start small and take over fast, moving from barely noticeable to a full rollover in seconds. Especially if you brake into it or accelerate. Weight distribution hitches with integrated sway control bars counter the lateral movement by transferring the back load onto the tow vehicle’s front axle. It also physically resists the rotation, giving you immediately better control.