If you are towing a vehicle, there are some safety precautions to consider. I have seen people run into trouble when towing Jacksonville Fl and not reaching their destination safely with a fully loaded trailer. Be careful out there and don’t over load your trailer, it can cause tires to fail or it can move your vehicle around and cause an accident. If you work for a company and have to pull a trailer, they usually have some kind of training program so the driver can learn basic safety practices for towing. Being an expert at towing is a good way of earning a great reputation if you are working as a driver for a company.
Now, it’s not hard to learn basic safety for towing, some suggestions are below, read through them if you have any hesitation about pulling a trailer or towing any vehicle.
• Limits You have to know your vehicle limits. Especially, when it comes to the weight of the loaded trailer that you are going to pull. Your vehicle’s capacity must comply or meet the loaded trailer’s weight. It would be dangerous to tow an overloaded trailer because it will affect the steering, braking and it might lead to swaying of your trailer or unleveled vehicle. It could have been better if you can assure that your hitch will meet the allowed weight that it can support. So, you have to check your manual and look for the recommended rate for towing. Always remember that not all towing vehicles have the same ratings for because it will depend on the type of towing vehicle that you are going to use. Do not forget that aside from the weight of loaded trailer and the vehicle your pulling it with, you must also add the weight of the passengers of the vehicle and the trailer. Make sure that you are not overloaded. So, you better check the GVWR or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the GCWR or the Gross Combination Weight Rating of your vehicle.
• Loading You might know the maximum capacity of your loaded trailer, but that is not enough. It is also important for you to ensure that the load is properly loaded and that the load is secured properly. And then, make sure that the weight of the load is equally distributed on the trailer. This means that the load on the left side of the trailer must be the same with the weight on the right side. You have to do this to avoid load shifting.
• Tires It is very important for you to inspect the tires of your towing vehicle and your trailer. Next, make sure that you will carry well inflated spare tires, at least one for each vehicle. This will help you avoid accidents while traveling on the road. You must also make sure that the hub bearings of your tires are greased. And then, don’t speed, drive to the allowed speed. It is not a good idea to use excessive speed when towing and carrying a heavy and fully loaded trailer.
• Lights When you are on the road, it is important for your lights to be working and connected properly. So, before getting out there on the road, test your tail lights on the trailer. It’s critical to have lights that are operating properly, so other people and other vehicles can see you, during the day and night. During the day time drivers need to be able to see your turn signals and brake lights. At night, all of the lights are important and necessary for you to be visible during the night. Make sure your running lights are working properly at night.
• Brakes It is easy to manage the brakes when you are towing a small or light trailer. But, if you are towing heavy trailers that weighs over 2,000 pounds, then it would be best to use a brake system for your trailer. And then, it is also important for your towing vehicle to have an attached emergency break way cable. This will help in prompting the trailer’s break to halt when the hitch is disconnected from the trailer.
• Mirrors Do not forget to adjust your side mirrors. Make sure that you can view around the trailer and if you can’t you need to get mirror extensions.