Drivers Urged to Double-Check Rooftop Tent Safety Before Leeds Festival

With rooftop tents (also known as tent boxes) offering a practical and convenient option for road trippers, festival-goers, and campers, temporary car insurance experts at Tempcover are warning UK drivers about the hidden strain they can place on vehicles, and the costly consequences of getting it wrong.

What to Know Before Installing a Rooftop Tent on Your Car

When considering a rooftop tent, there are two key weight limits, usually found in the handbook or online

• Static roof load: the weight your vehicle’s roof can support when stationary, for example, when you’re inside the tent, sleeping or relaxing.
• Dynamic roof load: the much lower weight your vehicle can safely carry on the roof while driving. This includes the combined weight of the tent, roof bars, and mounting kit.

Many drivers mistakenly assume that if their car can support the weight of a rooftop tent while parked, it is safe to drive with it too. However, it’s the dynamic roof load that matters most when the vehicle is moving.

Added weight from rooftop tents can place significant strain on your vehicle’s suspension system, especially in smaller or lower cars. Even if a rooftop tent technically fits your vehicle, the combined weight of the tent and roof bars can affect suspension performance, reduce speed and acceleration, and increase fuel consumption. These factors should be carefully considered before installation to ensure your vehicle can safely handle the additional load.

Keith Moody, motoring journalist and former editor at HonestJohn.co.uk adds:

“Rooftop tents can really throw your car’s balance off – expect much more lean when cornering and longer braking distances, especially in wet conditions. You’ll also notice crosswinds more keenly, and the added wind resistance often means more noise inside the cabin.

While there are no official speed limits restricting you from hitting motorway speeds of 70mph, it’s wise to reduce speed to offset the drop in fuel economy and maintain control. Plus, if you’re heading abroad, check the manufacturer’s recommendations carefully, for example, on German autobahns where speed limits are famously absent, rooftop tents definitely aren’t designed for anything much beyond 70mph.”

Stay Within Roof Load Limits With the Right Tent Choice

For example, the Nissan Qashqai has a dynamic roof load limit of 75kg. That means it’s important to choose a tent box that leaves enough room for the roof racks and mounting gear. Choosing a lighter tent, such as one weighing 33kg, gives you more flexibility and helps keep your drive safer. Don’t forget to also adjust your tyre pressures if you’re carrying extra weight.

Make Sure Your Tent Box Is Secure and Legal

Beyond weight considerations, it’s crucial to ensure that anything mounted on your roof is securely fastened and won’t cause damage to your car or pose a risk to other road users. Items that come loose while driving can create serious hazards. Failure to safely secure roof-mounted equipment could be considered dangerous driving and result in a £2,500 fine, three penalty points and a potential driving ban.

It’s also worth considering additional security measures to protect your tent box from theft, such as installing a security alarm, using security nuts, or lockable straps.

Fuel economy: Don’t underestimate the drag

Rooftop tents and roof bars can reduce fuel economy by 2–5% due to increased drag and rolling resistance. That might not seem significant day to day, but on a 300-mile round trip, it could mean an extra £2.30 in fuel. This could all add up depending on the car, driving style, tent weight, terrain, and distance travelled.

Insurance blind spots

Many motorists may mistakenly believe their tent box is covered under standard vehicle insurance. Because adding crossbars or roof racks is considered a modification, informing your insurer if you attach these and a tent box to your vehicle is crucial. Roof tents often fall into a grey area: insurers may treat them like roof boxes, which are sometimes covered, but only if declared in advance. To be certain, always check with your insurance provider about your specific coverage.

Checklist: Summer travel tips for safe tent box use:

• Know your car’s roof weight limits by checking your manual or looking it up by make, model and year online.
• Include roof bar weight in your calculations.
• Use appropriate roof racks that fit the make and model of your car and meet your required dynamic load limits.
• Remove the tent when not in use, as this reduces drag and stress on the roof.
• Declare all modifications to your insurer, including bars and the tent box.