General pointers for towing a caravan or trailer using your new Honda

Towing a trailer is not that tough but if you are new to the experience then it can be a little harrowing. In most cases, drivers find the number one problem to be adjusting to the additional weight of the combination of car and trailer and finding a way to control them on the road.

So if you are in this position, here are a few tips to remember to ensure you have a more secure road trip in your Honda and feel more in control of your vehicle, as compiled by

1) Firstly, take a flick through the manual. A trailer should have their own manual or maybe just a safety sticker on the side, which will tell you what type of car you need to successfully tow your trailer. Then check your Honda manual as you don't want to overload your Honda's engine.

2) Next, make sure it has a hitch package. A hitch package is a facility to link your trailer electronics to the battery of the towing vehicle. It is essential to have this system as it supplies the power to lights of caravan or trailer, which then alerts other drivers to your road presence.

3) You really should make you have a good view from your Honda. This could involve extenders that attach to your wing mirrors giving you a better view of your camper and also to let you see any vehicles that are behind you or at your side. The last thing you would like to do is cause a serious crash that may injure other road users.

4) Before setting off do a safety inspection. This will ensure that everything is safe and connected correctly. This should include: checking tyre pressure, checking that the hitch wiring is the required length to account for turns, attaching the equalizer and stabilizer, ensuring that the caravan or trailer is balanced and adjust the trailer tongue so that it is in the correct position.

5) Before setting off have a thorough inspection of all of your cases and belongings. This is so important because you don't want to be driving along, get to your destination and then find all of your plates on the floor and all cracked up into a hundred pieces.

6) If you go down a hill then hold your speed. Switch to a low gear and crawl at slow speed down the hill, it is the only real way to deal with inclines and declines in the road.

7) As you reverse you should not stress-out but instead take your time. When you are steering the slightest of touches on steering wheel can ruin a caravan and totally annihilate the fixings and tow bar.

8) Then, during your drive you need to change your style to avoid tight turns. Your driving really needs to be subtle and fluid and steering wheels movements need to occur as early as possible, by doing this it will help to make sure you remain safe during your trip.

9) Finally, if you think your Honda is not really adequate for towing then perhaps you should consider leasing a more powerful Honda instead. For instance, a few months ago I took out a that was great for towing my caravan during my holiday.

By sticking to the advice given above you will really enjoy yourself during your next trip, irrespective of where you plan to go.