outandaboutlive.co.uk
YOUR FIRST
9
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A GUIDE TO
TOWING AND THE LAW
Breakaway cables – how and where to attach them
what you need to know to stay legal
Caravans built from
1 October 1982 must be
fitted with a breakaway
cable, anchored to the tow
vehicle; this applies the
brakes in the unlikely event
that the caravan becomes
unhitched while in motion.
These cables are designed
to be looped around an
anchor point and clipped
back on themselves.
If you ever need to
replace a breakaway cable
ensure that the replacement
is of the same standard
as the original. These
are available from many
caravan accessory shops.
Where no designated attachment point has been provided on the towbar, the cable may be looped around the
neck of the towball. Use a single loop only
Where a dedicated anchor point is provided on the
towbar, it must be used. Make sure that the cable
has enough slack to ensure that it will not be pulled
tight when negotiating tight bends. If this happens
the caravan’s brakes will be applied
The clip should not be directly attached to the
attachment point, unless this is specifically
permitted by the trailer manufacturer. This is
because the clip may not be strong enough for use
in this way
The new standard means
that, in the event of a mirror
breaking, no large fragments
of glass will be released.
Towing mirrors should not
extend out more than a set
distance from the vehicle. For
non E-marked mirrors this is
200mm; for those carrying
the mark it is 250mm.
Towing mirrors come in
two basic types – flat and
convex. A flat mirror will give
you an accurate indication of
distance, but a rather limited
field of view. A convex mirror
will make things seem further
away than they are but give a
much better field of view. From
a legal point of view, either
type is suitable for towing, so
it’s really down to personal
preference in terms of how you
like to view the road.
Remember to remove your
mirrors when you are not
towing a caravan; failure to
remove them is an offence.
Makes of towing mirror
which carry an E marking
include Grove, Milenco,
Pennine and Reich.
In this example the mirror has
been approved in Italy (E3) and
has the approval numbers
02*2118 to 02*2121
The Milenco mirror here has
been approved in the UK (E11)
and has an approval number of
03*6154
These Reich mirrors can be
adjusted from inside the car by
pointing a remote control at them
The Milenco Aero towing mirror bracket grips
strongly so the mirror does not move when towing
