Rural drivers targeted for pulling trailers without the correct licence and cover

A clampdown on motorists driving without the correct licence is being carried out on people driving with trailers attached to their cars. Police in the west of the country are concerned that drivers are flouting laws by not having a necessary licence to be able to pull a trailer on the roads, with the farming community coming under scrutiny in particular.

The majority of farmers and regular motorists have a B licence, which means they can drive their own vehicle and tow a light trailer. However, if they pull large trailers over a certain weight they may not technically be covered by their motor insurance and need to have a BE licence to tow a trailer with a combined load of 759 kilograms.

The Police have revealed that they are clamping down on this problem in various parts of the country and have the powers to confiscate trailers if a motorist is not in possession of the appropriate licence as it can invalidate their insurance cover.

A spokesperson for the Farmers Association fears that the majority of farmers do not own a BE licence and that most would be unaware that they needed to have one, especially when towing heavy loads such as cattle to market. He said, “It is the fault of the Department of the Environment that they have not informed people who regularly tow heavy trailers that they might be breaking the law. If the Police implemented this to the letter of the law it would be like shooting fish in a barrel.”