CARAVANNING
AND THE LAW
WORDS: MAX TAYLOR IMAGES: MARTY LEDWICH/RVEETHEREYET.COM
IF YOUR VAN IS OVERWEIGHT, YOU’RE RISKING A HEFTY FINE.
ROADSIDE INSPECTIONS HAPPEN AROUND AUSTRALIA
AND POLICE HAVE GENUINE ENFORCEMENT POWERS…
Every now and again, social media catches fire
with news of a police blitz on caravan safety
and towing compliance. Invariably, it goes
that on a certain highway, police are pulling over
caravanners, weighing the rigs, and issuing fines.
Police around Australia have become more
proactive when it comes to enforcing the laws
that govern safe and legal towing. And their
enforcement powers are very real.
But what actually occurs during a roadside
caravan check? And what are the penalties that
apply to caravanners who have hitched their
wagon to an unsuitable tow vehicle, or who
have otherwise broken the rules?
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gorv.com.au
POWER TO STOP
Police have various powers under the national
Road Safety Act. The act confers police with
the power to stop and inspect any vehicle on
the road. They also have powers to ensure
motorists follow direction.
“For instance, if a police officer inspected a
vehicle or caravan and found it to be unsafe
or unroadworthy, they could direct the owner
not to use that vehicle until certain things had
been done to it,” Sergeant Graeme Shenton of
Victoria Police said.
Sergeant Shenton has been a driving force
behind various caravan safety inspections
and educational campaigns in in Victoria,