Practise your caravan reversing skills using 3D driving simulator

As more people enter the caravanning hobby than ever before, campsites could soon be overrun with inexperienced towers needing to practise their skills.

Even those of us who have been caravanning for many years could probably do with a little brush up on our reversing skills from time to time.

That's why creator Jim Bedigan came up with Reverse My Trailer, a free-to-use 3D driving simulator computer program that promotes safe reversing of caravans.

Reverse My Trailer not only contains an animated tutorial explaining the principles of reversing a caravan or trailer, but its driving simulator also provides the user with a birds-eye view of a reversing caravan, along with multiple rear mirror views of the reversing operation.

The program has three modes:

• 'Autopilot mode' demonstrates how to reverse a caravan into gateways, parking spaces and campsite pitches
• 'Guidance mode' allows users to try it out for themselves using steering commands
• 'Normal mode' leaves users free to experiment.

Jim, who previously worked on 3D graphics systems in the flight simulator industry, explained: "A few years ago, I found myself watching Caravanner of the Year on BBC2. One test given to the participants involved the main driver giving reversing instructions to their partner to help them negotiate several obstacles.

"Despite the pressure they were under due to the presence of TV cameras, shouted instructions and rapidly worsening tempers, most of them ended up doing a pretty good job. However, I thought the test illustrated very clearly just how difficult reversing a caravan can be for the inexperienced.

"As a software developer and general tech-geek, I wondered if it might be possible to create a computer program to help people understand the principles of trailer reversing and to practise different manoeuvres from the (relative) safety of a computer keyboard."

After many months in development, Reverse My Trailer was born. The program is currently available as a Windows desktop program, as a test version for Android mobile devices, and there's also an iOS version planned.

"Although it could and should never take the place of real driving experience under the guidance of a qualified instructor, the simulator is informative, fun to use and best of all – it’s free," said Jim. "All I ask is that you let me know what you think once you’ve tried it."

Visit Reverse My Trailer to try it for yourself.

Watch a preview of how Reverse My Trailer works below: