Driving Licence

[Coddy]

Thought it might be worth checking for all our "younger" members who tow a boat!

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The law states:

 

You must hold a full driving licence to tow anything.

 

Most drivers who passed their test before 1 January 1997 have licence categories allowing them to drive vehicle and trailer combinations weighing up to 8.25 tonnes.

With effect from 1 January 1997 the second EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC) came into effect, affecting new drivers passing their test after that date and HGV drivers who obtained their licence after 31 December 1991.

 

The net result is that new drivers will only be allowed to drive and tow the following combinations:

 

Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes (category with a 750kg trailer (4.25 tonnes total MAM).

Category B vehicles with larger trailers i.e. > 750kg, provided that the combined MAM does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the gross MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle. To be able to tow combinations outside this ruling requires the passing of an additional test.

New HGV drivers and those who have passed their HGV tests since 1 January 1992 will be restricted to towing trailers up to 750kg until they pass an additional test.

Detail of the Regulation

The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) Regulations 1990 SI 1990 No 842 classifies vehicles according to either:

"Maximum authorised mass" (permitted maximum weight). Vehicles over 3,500kg MAM are classified as LARGE GOODS VEHICLES (LGV's)**

**Requires Additional qualifications for people to drive LGV's & PCV's

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The reason for this posting is that my son thought he could tow but whan we checked it was a no no!

 

It is also worth checking your licence if you have had need to get it updated or any reason.

Seems that the licence authority often forget to add all the entitlements to a renewal or amendments. Keep a copy of the old licence and any pass certificates you might have, YOU have to prove you were entitled to drive before the re-issue. Many have had to take a re-test at thier own costs!

 

Coddy

 

[Adam F]

So this would effect me.... but:

 

Category B vehicles with larger trailers i.e. > 750kg, provided that the combined MAM does not exceed 3.5 tonnes

 

So surely I'm OK? My car and boat come to about 3.2t??

[Swainiac]

Adam, I would go to the weighbridge to be certain, and get a copy of the train weight, with car and boat laden for a "normal" days fishing. That way, when Old Bill pulls you if you are slightly over the centre line on a corner or similar, you have a recent weight cert, and he wont spoil your day!!

 

Rich

 

An after thought on this one would be to consider inviting a Traffic Plod to one of our meetings to explain the law.

[duncan]

and the gross MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle

 

Adam - any particular reason you left this bit out of your chosen quote?

[Adam F]

Ermmm>..

 

Just confused now! What is MAM?

[jack]

Whilst on the "licence" theme. look after your paper copy if you have a photo licence.It will cost you

[Swainiac]

Adam, MAM = Max authorised Mass

[pegleg]

Hi All, I passed my driving test after '97 and have recently passed the test to allow me to tow a large trailer. After years of towing cars back from Glascow, not realising at the time that it was illegal i thought that i could just turn up at the test centre and wing it. But after phoning a driver training centre and booking up an assessment lesson they went through what it involved.

I was shocked at what you had to do. There is a sequence to couple and uncouple which you have to learn, this includes asking the instructor to check your lights, letting him know that you have put on the number plate before you drive off,and take it off afterwards, reversing around a cone and into a parking bay, emergency stop, and about a 40 minute drive.

So my advice is to seek expert instruction and to do the test asap because they are changing the rules again somewhen soon. I was lucky and was able to use a dropside trailer so i was able to sneek a peek out of the back window whilst reversing, but they are soon to not allow the use of these trailers for test purposes and you will have to use a horsebox like trailer which will make reversing alot harder to do.

I hope this helps mate but if you need any more help pm me, but i wont be about until next weekend as off to do more casualty simulation. Jas

 

[Paul D]

Adam,

 

The key part in your case will be that the trailer + payload needs to be less than the weight of the towing vehicle.

 

( I recon your boat / engine / trailer will weigh around 1400 KG and add batteries / fuel / anchor etc. this will be around 1600 KG ).

 

Provided your car is heavier than this and is rated to tow this weight then no problem.

 

For example a Saab 9-3 Vector Sport 1.9 TiD has a kerbside weight = 1675 Kg and a towing limit of 1600 Kg and I think you can legally tow your boat / trailer using this ( provided it is not over 1600 Kg of course ).

 

I know the Ford Mondeo TDCI has a towing limit of 1800 Kg, so would be interesting to see the kerbside weight of one of those.

 

This is what Duncan is alluding to I think.

 

Just looked at my Civic and the kerbside weight of this is 1180 Kg and the max braked trailer rating is 1500 Kg which presumably means to tow this weight ( ie. That over 1180 Kg you need to have older licence or pass new sections ? )

 

 

[alun j.]

I'm an 'Old One' here...... so am not worrying ......yet!

 

Passed my test in 1970 ......... and am still on a tatty bit of paper [of various colours].

 

Similar thing happened at work a few years ago ........ re driving school minibus.

 

Old gits OK ! ......... younger things disallowed!

 

Alun.