Number of trailers grows rapidly during pandemic

About 30,000 new trailers have been registered in Finland this year, according to Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom).

Since September 2016, the number of trailers has grown by 136,000 to about a total of one million trailers, said OP in a press release, quoting Traficom.

Caravans, boat trailers, and single-axle trailers are statistically classified as trailers, which make about 70 per cent of registered trailers.

According to statistics, trailers are very commonly used in Finland, Sweden and Norway in comparison to other European countries.

“Our country is sparsely populated and has an active holiday home culture. Many people need to move various items to their holiday home and back. Most of these trips are being made well before the winter season. Most trailer-related accidents also occur between September and October,” said Pohjola Insurance’s Head of Motor Vehicle Insurance Kristian Hiljander.

Kainuu has the largest number of trailers in proportion to the population, with every fourth person over the age of fifteen owning a trailer there.

In Åland, only 0.3 per cent of people over the age of fifteen have a trailer. The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the purchasing of trailers. In Spring 2020, trailers were being sold in increasing numbers. They have been a popular purchase for this year as well.

In Kainuu region 25.4 % of the people over 15 years old owned trailers followed by Lapland 24.0 %, North Karelia 20.2 %, South Ostrobothnia 19.3 %, Central Ostrobothnia 19.2 %, South Savo 19.0 %, Ostrobothnia 18.7 %, Satakunta 18.3 %, Northern Ostrobothnia 18.2 % and Kymenlaakso 17,0 %.