Peter W Jones MInstP
I REGRET THAT THE BLOG SOFTWARE HAS PLACED THE NEW
INTRODUCTION
A FEW PARAGRAPHS BELOW AFTER PARA 31
plus
www.caravanaccidents2.wordpress.com
www.caravanaccidents.wordpress.com
www.20six.co.uk/roadtrafficaccidents
Advice for Physics and Maths teachers and the Younger Generation (GCSE and GCE “A” level)
www.schoolminibusaccidents.wordpress.com and
www.schoolminibustrailers.wordpress.com
Index
31 Highways Agency Fit to Tow Video
31a Bath University Caravan Research
32 Summary of ideas behind Blogs by Peter W Jones
33 Air Speed Indicators
34 Lobbying Parliament
35 Letter to Dr Tony Wright MP
36 Bath University on Stabilisers (cont)
37 Stabilisers; further details
38 Letter to Mrs Dunwoody MP
39 Caravan Stabilisers explained for
non caravanners
40 IVRA Conversion Kit for Over run Brakes
41 History of New ALKO electronic conversion kit
42 USA Electric Brakes
43 Stabiliser test by Peter W Jones
44 HGV Trailers ( includes accident statistics)
45 Wind induced Road Accident
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Paragraph 31
THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY FIT TO TOW VIDEO (see their web site)
Peter W Jones MInstP
The Highways Agency “Fit to Tow” video, presented by Carol Smillie, has been available for viewing on the inter net for some time.
I welcome the fact that the HA have now modified the DfT presentation of Caravan and Trailer accident statistics. (see my 2006 paper published by the HoC Select Committee on Transport by putting “Caravan and HGV trailer accidents” in to the search engine of www.parliament.uk )
It is well known that the Caravan Club/Caravan Industry policy is that incorrect “load distribution” is the main cause of towing accidents. I do not think it appropriate that this video, with a contribution from ACPO, should promote this viewpoint. Bath University Research has proved that friction based stabilisers do not improve safety and hgv’s can destabilise caravans. The HA in other published items is also now warning caravanners of the effects of strong cross winds and these factors will cause problems even when your caravan is correctly loaded and you are towing with a suitable tow car.
With regard to the towing of trailers with no brakes the HA is assuming that the tow car brakes will be adequate to stop a 0.75 tonne trailer. However, this will not be the case if sharp braking is used at normal motor way speeds. When the tow car brakes sharply, If the trailer is directly in line with the tow car the trailer will rise and smash into the back of the car or pass right over the top if the HA suggested safety chain is unable to prevent this taking place. When the trailer and tow car are not in line the trailer will jack knife, and if the latter is much greater in weight than 50% of the tow car weight ( the legal limit ?) there is a high probability of the tow car being destabilised.
All this follows directly from Newton’s First Law of Motion.
The Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators reported in 2002 in their Journal that they had tested braking a tow car with an unbraked trailer at 40 mph and found that the trailer jack knifed every time.
Also see para 3a of my blog www.caravanaccidents2.wordpress.com for an account of a related accident when the “over run” brakes failed to function.
THERE IS A GAP HERE CAUSED BY THE REMOVAL OF THE DFT CARAVAN ACCIDENT STATISTICS AS PRESENTED BY CAROL SMILIE.
THESE WERE RATHER LONG AS I HAD COMMENTED ON THE FIGURES.
I WILL REPLACE THESE ASAP. WORDPRESS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO REPEL ALL HACKERS.
I WAS WARNED BY THE AUTOMATIC SYSTEM SOME TIME AGO THAT AN ATTEMPT HAD BEEN MADE TO BREAK IN
