All you ever wanted to know about car caravans - and more!
By Bruce Rauch
One of the more enjoyable aspects of belonging to a Car Club is driving together in a convoy or caravan. However, driving to a destination as a group can be a challenge. So, we thought it would be prudent to do some research on "caravan rules of the road."
The Florida Suncoast Car Club emphasizes safe driving in all our events. Members are responsible for their own road safety on trips by properly preparing their vehicles, driving carefully and obeying the traffic laws of the region. Outlined below is a set of guidelines compiled from FSMGCC experiences and other sports and vintage car events from around the USA that will make touring with a group of cars fun and safe.
Make sure you understand the planned route and the approximate distance the caravan plans to travel. Have more than one driver who knows the route. Record the cell numbers of the lead car and the end car in case of emergency.
Be ready to leave at the agreed upon time. Have a full tank of gas, a full stomach and an empty bladder by the departure time.
Advise the Event Coordinator if you are going to leave before the end of the tour.
The slowest cars, cars which may be least dependable or anyone concerned about getting lost should take positions near the front of the caravan.
The caravan will have a "lead car" at the front and an "end car" at the rear. Both the lead car and the end car will know the route.
A caravan of 20 cars can stretch over 2 miles of highway. If the group is too large, divide it into 2 or more groups of 10 or less, each with a lead car and an end car.
The lead car will set the pace for the caravan and drive at about the legal speed limit.
Each driver is responsible for keeping the car behind him or her in sight. If the “car behind” drops out of sight or you see a problem with anyone else's car, signal the caravan to slow down or stop by flashing your lights.
The group/s should travel in the middle lane or the right lane on a freeway or multi-lane highway so as not to obstruct the flow of traffic. When approaching a turn or exit, the lead car will signal the turn and the end car should also signal so as to “block” for caravan cars ahead changing lanes. On two-lane country roads, the group/s should provide spaces between the cars to allow faster (alien) cars that overtake the caravan to safely pass.
When driving, try to keep a consistent interval between you and the car ahead. This helps avoid frequent speed changes farther back in the caravan.
If you think the caravan is going too fast or too slow, signal the car ahead by flashing your lights. However, keep in mind that no two MGs' speedometers read the same. Some can be 10-20 mph off.
When traveling, the group may become separated. The lead car can elect to slow down to let the group catch up or stop and pull off the road to regroup.
If you need an emergency stop, signal the car ahead that you are pulling off. The entire caravan will stop if it's safe to do so. If not, the caravan will pull off at the next available opportunity. The end car will pull off behind you.
When pulling back onto the highway when everyone is ready to roll, the end car pulls on to the road to "block" for the others.
If you decide to (or are forced to) leave the caravan, make sure someone knows that the caravan should not wait for you or look for you. Try to inform the caravan leader or the end car.
Do not pass another caravan car unless they have told you they are dropping out or wave you by.
Obey ALL traffic laws. Safety Fast!
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