Travel trailers are the most common sight on highways around the UK. Standard sizes are 12 to 37 feet in length and full living accommodations are provided in the base of the travel trailer. Included in this living area are bedroom, bathroom and living space accommodations.
These trailers are self contained units that provide refrigeration, water and plumbing facilities. Electrical service is provided with a 12 volt capacity component. This eliminates the need to connect to an external electrical system that is commonly found at a camp ground areas.
The travel trailers are connected to a standard pickup truck or van via a frame hitch connection. Prices for these trailers start around £7,000. There are three standard size options available with travel trailers. These are small, mid-range and large.
Small sized travel trailers are created with the idea of traveling being the main function. Average size for this class of travel trailers is 18 feet or less. Design features are lightweight and allow for quick setup and take down when traveling. Weight limits are 3,000 pounds or less. This allows for towing with standard large sized car or regular size pickup truck. Common varieties of the small sized travel trailer are the Combi-camper and Kamparoo. These models can be towed by an average family sized car.
The mid-range travel trailers are 18 feet to 25 feet in length. Weight limits are 5,000 pounds or more. These require heavy equipped towing by high powered pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. The amenities provided are more than small sized trailers yet sleep fewer passengers comfortably.
The travel trailers that fall into the large trailer class are for seasonal or full time RV travelers. This is not to say that others can not use the larger trailers, it is just more convenient for full time use. Large travel trailers are 25 feet to 40 feet in length. Amenities mimic those offered by a luxury five star condominium. Towing can be a bit of a problem. The larger size requires the services of a high powered towing vehicle such as a tow truck, tractor or large sports utility vehicle. Any vehicle that can safely tow a minimum of 12,000 pounds is required.
One essential piece of information with travel trailers is control. Virtually no room exists for forgiveness in pulling a trailer behind a vehicle. Balance must safely be maintained during transportation. The slightest amount of unbalance present in either the trailer, towing vehicle or hitch can cause an accident. Sway controls on the trailer and hitch are essential for maintaining safety on the road. Of all the classes of motorized trailers, travel trailers require to most control out on the open road.
Other safety measures that should be taken into account with the operation of a travel trailer include maintaining an adequate hitch that evenly distributes the weight between towing vehicle and trailer. Brake features must always be applied via a control lever so that the vehicle and trailer can come to a complete stop without the driver having to take eyes off the road. The towing vehicle must also exhibit a wheelbase spacious enough to control trailer size when moving down the road.