Trailer towing as a learner?

[hollykb]

Have read a couple of posts on here recently about trailers and just wanted to clarify something.
Can you legally tow a trailer if you have someone accompanying you who is licensed to do it? Even if you haven't passed the test yourself? And would they have to have actually done the test for it, or would someone with grandfathers rights count? I know that this is true for driving cars but didn't realise it applied to trailers??

 

[titch]

You can drive the trailer with anyone who is legal to drive a trailer, as long as you have L plates on. So that includes anyone who passed before 1998 (I think thats the right year, or 1997!) or anyone who has taken the test

 

[Divasmum]

As far as I know you can but NOT on a motorway.

 

[hoggedmane]

yes I accompanied a friend as her qualified driverbefore she took her test.

 

[Maiko]

[ QUOTE ]
As far as I know you can but NOT on a motorway.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is incorrect.

If you are a post 1-1-97 licence holder, you can tow a trailer on L plates provided you are accompanied by someone who is over 21 years old and has held the relevant licence for more than three years. This applies to ANY supervisor of 'learner' drivers.

In regard to motorways, you are perfectly entitled to use the motorway whilst towing a trailer on L plates. Motorway regulations apply to the category of licence held for the towing vehicle, not the trailer, and therefore as a full B category licence holder (i.e. vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes), you are perfectly able to use the motorway, even if you are on L plates for your trailer. Obviously if you haven't passed your normal driving test yet and need to drive the CAR on L plates, you can't use the motorway!!

 

[Divasmum]

Thanks for that info. A friend who has now done her trailer test thought she couldn't go on the motorway before she had done it.

 

[MuddyCob]

When I had lessons prior to my trailer test my instructor said i could drive on the motorway but only with a qualified instructor - i.e. I could drive on there with him or the examiner but not anyone else. I don't know what the legal position is but I stuck to what he told me!

 

[ester]

yes I think you can drive on a motorway too.

 

[titch]

You can definately drive on the motorway as maiko said, they even took me on the M1 in my test!

 

[star]

can def drive on motorway as a learner trailer driver, and def dont need to just have an instructor with you - can be anyone who has the right to tow a trailer supervising you. i did my test last yr and went on the motorways with instructor and parents.

 

[blue2262]

Do you have to display L plates on the trailer?

 

[MissChaos]

Yes - front of car and rear of trailer, clearly visible with correct and legal number plate (that's a whole other ball game ) etc.

 

[ROG]

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.
All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.
The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner



The B+E test
No medical or theory test required
Read a number plate from a certain distance
VIDEO - Show Me Tell Me Questions - usually 5
The next three can be in any order:-
VIDEO - Reversing Exercise (old measurements) - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
VIDEO - Uncouple/couple up - done in test centre grounds if test conducted from practical test centre - some tests are now being done from training school grounds
One hour road drive - includes the independent drive and is done virtually the same as the basic car test

DISCLAIMER - I have no connection to any companies which may be featured in those videos

 

[ROG]

Can you legally tow a trailer if you have someone accompanying you who is licensed to do it?

YES - see my post above for the rules on that

Even if you haven't passed the test yourself?

YES - see my post above for the rules on that

And would they have to have actually done the test for it, or would someone with grandfathers rights count?

EITHER is legal - see my post above for the rules on that

 

[ROG]

One other weird legal thing ......

Only the person driving needs to be insured

That means if the learner drives all the time the supervising driver does not need to be insured

 

[ROG]

Probably not going to be the case for most but for the small minority ...

If you only have a B auto licence then passing the manual B+E test will also give you B manual

 

[asommerville]

so mt bf only passed his b+e last year cant be the supervising driver? ....need a plan b now :-(

 

[ROG]

so mt bf only passed his b+e last year cant be the supervising driver? ....need a plan b now :-(

If the set up is beyond the rules for B towing then you are correct - you need a different supervising driver