Travelling Aussies warned as photo of highway caravan crash highlights worrying trend

A messy scene on a normally busy Aussie highway has highlighted a sinister trend on the rise as the appeal of caravans continues to climb among people looking to explore life on the road.

With caravan travel at an all time high, so too are thefts or attempted thefts, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows. And with that comes an increased danger on our roads – as evidenced by a recent incident shared by authorities.

NSW Police last week showed the aftermath of a car and caravan crash on the M2 Motorway in West Pennant Hills. A police spokesperson confirmed with Yahoo News Australia the white Toyota van and the caravan it was towing were both stolen just hours before it ended up crashing.

While it's not clear if speed was a factor, police said, "the caravan began to fishtail, causing the vehicle to swerve across all three lanes and collide with a metal guard rail, resulting in a jackknife position".

"The incident obstructed lanes one and two, leading to significant traffic delays," they said. It's understood no one was inured, and the two men who were in the van at the time both "fled the scene on foot".

"Multiple calls were received regarding the incident, and police arrived shortly after. Upon investigation, it was determined that the vehicle was reported stolen. Further checks revealed that one of the persons of interest is a disqualified driver and has links to the vehicle," they told Yahoo this week.

An investigation into the incident which occurred in January is still ongoing, but it speaks to a wider issue on our roads — one everyday Aussies are now being urged to be aware of.

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Increase in vehicle thefts across Australia

Across the country, all states and territories except for the ACT saw a jump in the number of motor vehicle thefts last year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics states. In August, a caravan was allegedly taken with a Queensland family, including young children, still inside.

In Victoria, caravan thefts or attempted thefts have reached their highest level in 10 years, RACV and the state’s Neighbourhood Watch warned last month. In the 12 months to June, 174 caravans were stolen — up almost 67 per cent since 2022, according to data from the Victorian Crime Statistics Agency.

Incorrect caravan loading a 'really alarming' trend

When images of the crash scene were posted online by NSW Police, many suggested the van "was not suitable for towing a caravan, while others questioned the "vehicle's tow and ball weight". Police did not speak to how the accident occurred.

The issue of overweight caravans, or underweight vehicles towing them is one that has been getting increased attention amid the domestic travel boom. Incorrect loading can mean the weight distribution between the vehicles is off, making it harder to control the load when driving.

Many experts are concerned drivers new to towing vehicles are not equipped with the knowledge or know-how to travel safely. Dave Jason from Get-A-Weigh told Yahoo over 80 per cent of vehicles his team checks before a trip are over the weight limit, and don't meet roadworthy requirements.

He said the number of people who "don't care" about being over the limit is "really alarming".

Dave, whose caravan weighing business is based in NSW and Queensland, told Yahoo "it's very possible if the van was empty it might not tow very well" — and this could contribute to the dangerous caravan sway.

"It's certainly not the type of vehicle I would like to tow a caravan with that's for sure," he said. "[But] I would need to know all the facts and load ratings of the tow vehicle as well as the tow ball mass of the van to be certain."

Towing overweight vehicle is illegal and drivers face 'substantial fines'

A spokesperson from Insurance Council of Australia confirmed with Yahoo "towing an overweight caravan or trailer is illegal". This refers to whether or not the caravan/trailer weight exceeds the towing vehicle’s towing capacity.

If in an accident, it can impact the driver's insurance coverage "if this is deemed to be a contributing factor towards an incident" they warned.

"In addition to impacting insurance coverage, there are also substantial fines and penalties for road users who exceed safe towing weight. It’s critical that caravan owners check their vehicle’s towing capacity, which can usually be found in the owner's manual."

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