5 Things You Need to Know Before Taking Your Campervan on the Road

You do not need a heavy goods licence or any sort of upgrade from your car driving licence. Nor do you need extra training or special licence plates for your camper van. However, there are a few things you need to consider before you take your camper van on the road.

Gas Safety Checks for Other People

If your campervan uses gas for things like cooking and heating, then you and your family may use it, but if you lend it to somebody else, or you rent it out, then you must have it safety checked and certified or you can be sued and even prosecuted if a gas problem causes injury or death.

Your Converted Van Needs to Be Reclassified

If you have just converted your van into a campervan, then read the articles that the government has issued on the topic which you can find here. Then, reclassify your van with the government DVLA, otherwise, the police can arrest you for driving around in an incorrectly classified vehicle. Also, do not forget to look up the best self build campervan insurance to get a good price on your campervan insurance.

Parking Overnight Can Be Very Difficult

Britain is not as full of wide open spaces as it used to be. Even greenbelt land has been built on, and there are very few roads where you can causally pull up to the side and park your campervan overnight. When you plan your journey, try to find safe and legal places. There are places around the country where you can park up and pay a fee, which means you can use electric hook-ups and their toilet facilities. However, they often close during certain times of the year, which means your winter trips will be a little more tricky.

Speed is Not Your Friend

A campervan is not a fuel-efficient vehicle, but you can get a fair amount of distance on a full tank if you take it at a gentle pace. Campervans become gas guzzlers when they are pushed too hard. Plus, even things like taking turns too sharply or accelerating too hard are going to create wear and tear on your vehicle and will severely damage your campervan’s fuel efficiency.

Put Things Up Front at Night

You may be worried that you have filled your campervan a little too much, but the fact is that when you park up, you have several options for places to put your stuff. You can put things in the front seat and close the curtains, so looky-loos do not consider breaking in and stealing your stuff. Also, some people keep things in their van while they travel, and then put their unnecessary items in cases on the roof when they are sleeping, talking, eating or relaxing inside the van.

As a final thought, remember that experience teaches you more than online articles about campervan experiences. You are going to learn trade secrets, like taking some pegs and a line to dry your socks or turning your mini-fridge to face to wall at night, so you can enjoy the heat it is kicking out of the back. Experience teaches you most of the essential stuff, and the rest, you learn on your own.