A third of caravans a danger on the roads

A third of caravans in the Netherlands fail the road safety inspection, the car industry association Bovag reported after analyzing the inspection data of 3,000 caravans. And these inspections aren’t mandatory, so the actual number of caravans posing a danger on the road may well be much higher, AD reports.

“The results are alarming. We are shocked. An inspection for the caravan is not required. There is no MOT for it,’ Paul de Waal of Bovag told AD. “People who have their caravan inspected have safety as a top priority. And if one in three does not pass that inspection, that makes one wonder about the state of maintenance of all the caravans that are never inspected.”

Bovag got the inspection data through a new automation system. It expects to eventually get the inspection data of about 50,000 caravans and campers. There are 417,000 caravans in the Netherlands.

Retro caravans older than 20 years, in particular, seem to have problems. Over 40 percent have something wrong with them. Nearly half of the caravans between 30 and 40 years old fail their inspection.

The braking system - essential for safe driving - often shows defects, according to Bovag. The industry association recommends a biennial inspection.

According to Bovag, the problems on caravans cause “significant safety risks” for the owner and other road users.