The best reversing practices when towing a caravan

Reversing a caravan can sometimes feel like one of the trickiest aspects of towing, especially for those who are relatively new to caravanning. It’s a manoeuvre that requires patience, spatial awareness and also a good grasp of how your vehicle and caravan move together. Whether you’re positioning your caravan on a pitch or simply manoeuvring it onto your driveway, having solid reversing skills will make your life a lot easier. 

Here, we’ll explore the best reversing practices to help you build confidence…

1. Practice makes perfect

Before you set off, take the time to practise reversing in a quiet, open space - an empty car park is often ideal and gives plenty of space, as well as lines to work with. Getting used to how your caravan responds to steering inputs will help you develop the muscle memory and visual understanding needed for those smooth manoeuvres - no different to when you were learning to drive, really.

2. Know your turning points

When reversing a caravan, the movements can feel a bit counter-intuitive to start with, as you steer in the opposite direction. To steer the caravan to the left, you initially turn your steering wheel to the right, and vice versa. It’s often helpful to place your hands at the bottom of the steering wheel - and move them in the direction that you want the caravan to go. 

Go slowly, and make adjustments as you go - you’ll soon get the hang of it. If it’s going wrong, stop and then move straight ahead for a bit to straighten up, and then try again.

3. Use your mirrors

Your towing mirrors are your best friends when reversing with a caravan. Make sure they’re properly adjusted to give you a clear view down both sides of the caravan. Keep an eye on both mirrors as you reverse to ensure you’re staying centred and avoiding any obstacles.

4. Slow and steady does it…

There’s no rush, so keep it smooth and steady. Reversing too quickly is a common cause of jack-knifing or overcorrecting and we definitely don’t want that. Commit to it, keep your speed low and make small steering adjustments as necessary. If you find yourself going off course, stop, pull forward to straighten up, and try again.

5. Find a friend to help!

Having a second pair of eyes can make a world of difference. If you’re travelling with someone, ask them to guide you from outside the vehicle. Establish some clear hand signals or use your phone on speaker if needed, and talk it through beforehand to avoid the prospect of a falling out! Just be sure they remain visible in your mirrors at all times and that they never stand directly behind the caravan or in your blind spot.

6. Understand the different types of manoeuvre

There are two main reversing techniques:

Straight-line reversing

This is best practised first, as it builds control and confidence.

Reversing onto a pitch or driveway 

This often requires a curved path rather than a straight line, and an ‘S’ shaped approach which can take a bit more getting used to. Practice makes perfect!

Plan your manoeuvre before you begin, aim for a fixed point behind the caravan and visualise where you want it to end up, and also which direction the vehicle will need to turn.

7. Don’t be afraid to reset

If things start to go wrong, there’s no shame in pulling forward to straighten up and start again - everyone’s been there and done that! It’s a sign of good judgement, not failure, and trying to salvage a botched manoeuvre often makes it worse.

If all else fails, and you’ve got a motor mover, this can usually get you out of a tough spot as well!

8. Use your tech!

It can be really helpful to install a reversing camera if you haven’t already, as they do take some of the pressure off. Having said that, while these can be helpful, don’t rely solely on them. Trust your mirrors, your own judgement and any guidance from a spotter.

Hopefully that's helpful! Reversing with a caravan is a skill anyone can learn - it just takes a little bit of time, practice and a calm approach. By mastering the basics and staying patient with yourself, you’ll become far more confident when reversing. And remember - every seasoned caravanner once struggled with reversing too. 

Stick with it and you’ll get there!