Caravan owners are being warned to ensure they are not towing a caravan which is too heavy for their vehicle when the season starts again in spring.

A number of police forces around the country are focusing on caravan safety by conducting stop checks and caravanners with mismatched outfits face fines of up to £1,000.

The warning comes from CRIS, the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme, which is run by vehicle information provider HPI.

Alan Bishop, of HPI, said: "Caravanners need to be sure that their outfit is safe and legal.

Getting it wrong can cost the owner more than just excessive car maintenance bills; a mismatched outfit risks a £1000 fine, invalid insurance and points on their driving licence, not to mention the safety implications."

One way of staying on the right side of the law is Towsafe, a computerised matching service, informing consumers whether their car can legally tow a particular caravan and with minimum safety risk.

The Towsafe multiple match service provides customers with a list of appropriate cars or caravans based upon the vehicle they currently own and the criteria they have selected, such as manufacturer specifications and the vehicle age.

Once the customer has completed a multiple match to identify suitable combinations, HPI will advise them to complete stage two of the Towsafe service, which consists of the detailed one-to-one match on their chosen car or caravan.

This gives customers a full breakdown of both the weights of the specified car and caravan and how they compare, complete with a detailed explanation of the results.

To identify the ideal combination of car and caravan, the Towsafe one-to-one match considers the weight restrictions on the car's tow bar and the Manufacturer's train weight restrictions, ensuring compatibility and safety.

Mr Bishop said: "Towsafe offers caravanners a fast, easy and reliable way to ensure they are touring safely and legally.

"The police are cracking down on caravan safety and Towsafe is a convenient way to gain peace of mind.

"CRIS is committed to providing a comprehensive service tailored to the needs of caravan owners and Towsafe is part of our ongoing development of the products HPI provides. Now caravanners can enjoy going out on the road - letting Towsafe take a weight of their mind."

Costing £15.95, Towsafe's on-line multiple match enables caravanners to match up to five combinations offers owners peace of mind that their vehicle and caravan is a safe and legal match.

Alternatively, HPI offers a one-toone match via the telephone for £9.95 which means Towsafe customers can confidently purchase a vehicle or caravan of their choice.

To conduct a Towsafe multiple match go to www. towsafe. co. uk To conduct a one-one match call call 01722 411430.