RV FEATURE
having conducted operations in Newmerella,
eastern Victoria, and even joined forces with
the Facebook group Everything Caravan and
Camping and other organisations to conduct
free caravan checks at Melbourne Leisurefest
last year. And while he speaks from a Victorian
perspective, each state has its own ‘road rules’
which are taken from the Road Safety Act.
Police powers to stop, inspect and direct are
therefore almost identical from one state to the
other, Sergeant Shenton told GoRV.
FINES
It’s clear that any caravanner can be pulled
to the side of the road by a police officer for
the purposes of a compliance inspection.
In Victoria, however, the focus remains on
education, not enforcement, but Sergeant
Shenton warns that may change.
“The conversation that we’ve started in
the media among caravanners has hopefully
encouraged them to check their vehicle and
van,” he said. “We want them to do this not
because they might get ‘pinged’ but because
it’s the right thing to do – let’s look at
prevention rather than booking people.”
But if doing the right thing by your loved ones
and other motorists isn’t enough motivation to
load your van according to your vehicle’s limits,
perhaps a fine will be.
In Victoria – and the applicable fine structure
is very similar across the country – police are
empowered to issue fines as follows:
• Less than five per cent over ATM/GVM: $238;
• Between five per cent but less than
10 per cent over ATM/GVM: $317;
• Between 10 per cent but less than
15 per cent over ATM/GVM: $634; and
• Between 15 per cent but less than
20 per cent over ATM/GVM: $1580.
WHAT TO EXPECT
At any roadside caravan check, you can expect
to have your entire rig weighed. The tow vehicle
will be weighed using portable scales to ensure
it hasn’t been loaded beyond its GVM, the
caravan will be weighed to ensure it’s within its
ATM, and a motorhome will be weighed to check
it’s within the permitted GVM.
The actual loaded weights will be then
checked against the compliance plates of the
van and vehicle. In some instances, police will
Police use portable scales for
a roadside RV inspection.
gorv.com.au
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