2012 is arguably one of Great Britain’s most exciting years and more than ever, people are choosing to take their holidays in the UK rather than travel to the continent or abroad.

With around half a million caravanning enthusiasts in the UK, leisure towing is an extremely popular pastime. While many caravan owners will be taking advantage of the long June bank holiday weekend, throughout the summer outdoor enthusiasts will be looking for engaging activities, especially activities outside London.

As caravan owners head out onto the open road, one of the most important things to remember is safety. To help them, Chevrolet has developed a safe caravanning guide in conjunction with some of the industry’s leading caravanning organisations on caravan safety and enjoyment.

"At Chevrolet we believe that a big part of that fun should be the journey, not just the destination. Choosing the right tow car and having a safe experience will go a long way to ensuring that your time with ‘Mother Nature’ is enjoyable and relaxed, as well as safe and legal,"says Chevrolet UK managing director Mark Terry.

Chevrolet’s Top Tips for Safe Caravanning

  1. Practice turning, stopping and reversing before you begin towing on public roads. Do not tow in traffic until you are confident that you can handle the vehicle and caravan safely
  2. Always go through your safety checklist before heading off
  3. Make sure that the lighting system of the caravan works properly
  4. Do not drive faster than 50 mph while towing
  5. Make sure you have enough room when cornering and avoid sudden manoeuvres
  6. Always have someone to guide you when reversing
  7. Parking on any kind of slope is not recommended
  8. Always chock the caravan’s wheels when parking and apply the car’s parking brake
  9. Make sure the person placing / removing the chocks from your wheels stands to one side
  10. Always carefully read the caravan manufacturer's instructions