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Rob Ketelaars admits his love of caravans is out of control.
Key points:
- 90 per cent of caravans and campers have been found to be overweight in Queensland
- Overweight vehicles can be a safety risk and void insurance
- Owners are being urged to attend education events being held across the state
The 50-year-old and his wife from Willowbank in south-east Queensland have owned three caravans since they swapped their tent for a camper in 2014.
Each one has been bigger and better, decked out with all the modern accessories.
But a simple weigh-in at an event in Toowoomba last year revealed his vehicle and caravan were overweight by up to 200 kilograms.
"What scared me was that if you are in an accident — being overweight as a combination means insurance might not pay out," Mr Ketelaars said.
"Plus, the safety of the family as well."
On the rise
The popularity of recreational vehicles (RVs) and caravans in Queensland is rising rapidly.
Registrations have increased by more than 20 per cent in the past five years, according to the Caravan Trade and Industries Association.
An average of 2,333 new RVs hit the road each month during 2022.
Association chief executive Jason Plant said overweight caravans were an increasing safety issue.
In Queensland, an estimated 90 per cent of vehicles towing their caravans exceeded their weight limit when tested recently, according to the Queensland Police Service.
"We're absolutely surprised with what we see sometimes in caravans and in the vehicles themselves — generators, barbecue, the lot," Mr Plant said.
"It all adds up and can make that product extremely heavy and exceed the critical rating, which is dangerous, and could void your insurance as well."
He said there were more than 1,800 crashes in Queensland involving an RV between 2015 and 2022, with 51 deaths and 1,300 hospitalisations.
The association and the Queensland government are holding educational campaigns across the state, with more than 600 people attending a recent event in Toowoomba.
Mr Plant said it was important people educated themselves on topics such as loading and towing.
"The information that you'll pick up can be life-saving," he said.
Toowoomba dealer Derek Crompton said he had seen a change in the type of people buying caravans, with some novices oblivious to the risks.
"A lot more younger people are buying caravans and they're the ones who aren't completely across the weights and the idea of what they need to do," Mr Crompton said.
He said there was a mixed response when it came to being aware of the dangers of being overweight.
"Some are a bit, 'We'll be right', while some have no idea," Mr Crompton said.
He said it was important for buyers to seek out an independent weighing service and inspection to ensure their vehicle complied with road rules.
New world
Queensland police backed the recommendations and strongly encouraged people to attend a caravan towing course to learn the necessary skills.
"Towing a caravan is a whole new world compared to driving a car or four-wheel drive," a QPS spokesperson said.
"It requires drivers to plan overtaking, braking and acceleration manoeuvres at a higher level, allowing substantially more distance for each manoeuvre to be done."
Mr Ketelaars said the decision to weigh his vehicles had been worthwhile, keeping his family safe for when they next travelled to Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane.
"You don't know what you don't know and don't assume," he said.
"You might get into an accident one day — it might not be your fault, but you'll find yourself in a lot of hurt and there's no need for it."
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