A British couple on a caravanning holiday in Europe drove off leaving their son at a petrol station in Switzerland.
According to the Daily Mail the couple pulled over at a Swiss service station assuming their 12 year old son was asleep in the caravan behind them. However once stationary, the boy had got out of the trailer to stretch his legs. The pair then drove off whilst their son was still inside the shop.
After twenty minutes, they pulled over to check on their boy when it dawned on them he was no longer in the cabin. Two hours later, after making several wrong turns, the couple finally returned to the petrol station to find their son in the safe hands of service station staff.
A service station worker told Le Matin newspaper: “‘He was very calm about it all, saying his parents were often “forgetful” and that he was sure they’d be back to get him soon.”
Whilst all’s well that ends well on this occasion, the story prompted Caravan Times to look at the dangers of touring with passengers travelling aboard the caravan instead of the towcar.
Aside from the risk of leaving your nearest and dearest behind, caravans simply aren’t built with the same level of body protection and safety features afforded in towcars. Cross winds or an incorrectly loaded caravan can spell disaster. It is an unfortunate reality that caravans are occasionally prone to jack-knifing or overturning in adverse conditions, causing great damage and heartache to the owners.
Sitting up front in the towcar is a far safer option. If seatbelts or child seats are fitted then it is the law that passengers must wear them. Most modern cars have airbags installed not only in the drivers side, but also around passenger seats and new car models are put through rigorous front and side impact tests to ensure the highest level of crumple protection possible.
The National Trailer and Towing Association states it is illegal to allow passengers to travel inside the caravan. Pets are allowed inside the trailer, although this is not recommended as safe practice. So, to avoid rogue children disappearing at service stations, or the more serious matter of keeping passengers as safe as possible in the event of an accident, make sure your brood sits up front in the towcar.
Do you think the law banning passengers from travelling inside the caravan is fair? Let us know in our forum topic here
