NEW RULES FOR TOWING TRAILERS WITH CARS

Previously we reported on changes the government was proposing to introduce regarding the need for certain drivers of cars (or vans under 3500kg) to pass an additional towing test if they wanted to tow a trailer with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of over 750k.

These changes were approved and came into force on 16^th December 2021. Now, if you passed your car driving test on or after 1^st January 1997, you are allowed to tow trailers up to 3,500kg MAM without taking an additional test.

The government also announced that driving licence records will be automatically updated to show the new towing permission. A category BE will be added to physical driving licences when someone next applies to get a new driving licence.

Car drivers who passed their test before 1^st January 1997 are not affected as they are already allowed to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8,250kg (MAM).

It is still recommended that drivers received specific training before driving a car and trailer for the first time. If you have employees who drive for work you must ensure that they only drive vehicles and combinations where they are trained and competent to do so and hold the appropriate licence.

You can find out more about the changes on the Gov.UK website at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-rules-for-towing-a-trailer-or-caravan-with-a-car-from-autumn-2021