News Item: Trailer Towing Safety in the Spotlight

Following a public campaign by Karin Smyth MP, and a commitment made in recent legislation, Ministers have published a report on trailer safety. The full report can be found by clicking here. 

The vast majority of trailers above 3,500kg are already subject to a range of regulations, including annual testing. This report “concentrates on those trailers where the introduction of testing and/or registration could make the most significant impact. The majority of work toward this report has therefore been focused on trailers with weights between 750kg - 3,500kg”. 

The report states that the “DVSA’s remit in relation to stopping non-commercial trailers will be reviewed. However, it is important to emphasise that DVSA’s primary concern relates to larger, commercial vehicles and combinations where the consequences of incidents and failings, when they happen, are more often severe." 

Members are advised to review trailer loading and towing training and compliance under existing regulations and guidance.