Can anyone clarify a point for me please. Brother came back from the pub last night saying that someone was harping on about VOSA doing folks for towing a trailer with a higher RATED capacity that the pick-up is capable of towing. Not to be confused with actually overloading the trailer.
I thought this was some old tale going around, provided you didn’t actually break the weight rule surely what difference does it make.
anyone can confirm?
It could be a driving licence issue. Drivers who passed their car test after 1997 can only tow very small trailers (max. 750kg including load) unless they have passed a ‘car & trailer’ B+E test. Their is an exemption to allow them to tow slightly bigger trailers/caravans providing the trailers’ GVW doesn’t exceed the towing vehicles ULW. I think that is correct.
The police & VOSA/DVSA are starting to jump on this as these drivers are not young men & women anymore and are more likely to be driving the vehicle/trailer combinations with the incorrect category on their licence.
thanks for the reply Daz, maybe that is what it was
Current towing LAWS
B only licence - vehicle GVW added to trailer plated MAM must not total more than 3500 kg if trailer is over 750 kg MAM
B+E licence - max actual weight of trailer is the LOWER of the trailer plated MAM or the max manufacturers vehicle towing capacity
There is no LAW or rule which states that the vehicle manufacturers towing capacity must be able to cope with the plated MAM of the trailer - but there are loads of internet myths saying different 