Safe towing takes T.L.C.
Promoting Towing Safety, Protecting Lives
The UK Towing Safety Alliance, convened by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) is proud to launch the TLC campaign, designed to improve road safety by reducing incidents caused by unsafe towing practices. This toolkit provides everything you need to support and amplify the campaign messages.
Founding partners
Supporters
The case for action
16,705 incidents involving towed vehicles (caravan, horsebox or trailer) over the 3-year period 2022 to 2024
Incidents involving towed vehicles increased by 16% from 5,088 in 2022 to 5,913 in 2024
Trailers account for most incidents involving towed vehicles (45.2%) followed by caravans (32.3%) and horseboxes (21.9%)
Most incidents involving towed vehicles are breakdowns (79.3%)
source: National Highways ControlWorx Data
About the campaign
Towing safely is everyone’s responsibility, whether it’s for work or leisure.
The TLC Campaign focuses on three critical elements to ensure safe towing:
T – Tyres
- Check tyre air pressure, tread depth and condition.
- Ensure tyres meet legal standards and are free from damage.
L – Load
- Assess the weight of your load.
- Ensure proper load distribution and secure stowage to avoid sway.
C – Connection
- Confirm the towing vehicle and trailer are securely connected.
- Check the breakaway cable is correctly fitted and ensure you have a safe and legal tow vehicle.
Using the simple TLC framework, this campaign aims to raise awareness and empower road users to perform essential safety checks before towing
Why this campaign matters
Between 2019 and 2021, the DVSA identified critical safety issues in towing:
- 50% of non-caravan trailers checked were non-compliant, with 41% issued immediate prohibitions.
- The most common faults included lamps (36%), tyres (21%) and brakes (20%).
- Caravans had a 12% defect rate, with 7% requiring immediate prohibition, most commonly for lamps and breakaway cables.
By educating road users, we can significantly reduce the risk of incidents and improve safety for everyone on the road.
Who should get involved?
The campaign targets a wide audience including:
Workplace towing operators: agriculture, construction, maintenance and logistics.
Leisure and domestic towing motorist: equestrians, boat owners, campers and caravanners.
Partner organisations: Road safety advocates, towing associations and industry groups.
How to support the campaign
Share the message
Use the FREE campaign assets in the Resources section to educate your audience. Post on social media, display partners, or include the email signature in your communications.
Host events
Organise towing safety demonstrations or webinars to engage your audience and promote safer practices.
Collaborate
Join forces with other organisations in the UK Towing Safety Alliance to amplify the message and reach new audiences.
Campaign assets
Digital Resources
Social media assets: Ready-to-use graphics and captions for platforms such as Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Email signature: A simple design to add campaign visibility to emails.
Printable materials
Posters: Highlighting the TLC messsage for display in community hubs, garages and workplaces.
Flyers: For distribution at events or via partners.
Comms tools
Press release template: A customisable press release to announce the campaign locally or within your organisation.
Educational infographics: Explaining the TLC principles and towing safety tips.