Trailer Towing Safety Tips

• Never allow passengers to ride in a trailer while it's being towed. Paul Sutherland/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  If you're towing a trailer, there are important safety factors to consider. Proper trailer setup, maintenance and handling ensure safe and smooth travel, so long as your equipment is roadworthy. Also note that the second center of mass you're carrying 10 or 20 feet behind causes speeding up, slowing down and cornering to take more time and requires more caution.

Loading

• For safe weight distribution, load the trailer with heavier items in the front. Sixty percent of the cargo weight should be in the front half of the trailer; this way only 10 percent of the weight is placed on the vehicle tow-hitch. All items in the trailer should be tied down. Cabinet, closet, bathroom and storage door latches need to be functioning and secured. Never allow passengers to ride in an RV when it's being towed. Only load to the hauling weight recommendations for your vehicle and trailer. Otherwise, you risk making the trailer unstable. Keep personal items you'll need frequently in the vehicle instead of the trailer so you don't have to unpack cargo in that area. Using pliable bags and cases to store items in the trailer can also save previous space.

Setup

• If you're traveling a long distance, walk around the trailer and tow vehicle. Inspect the hitch, wiring and tires. The breakaway cable and trailer harness connector should still be attached. The nut at the bottom of the hitch ball needs to be tight, and the hitch pin and hairpin need to holding the drawbar on. Tire pressure should be checked every three or so stops. You can use your palm to check the tire, brake drum and wheel-bearing temperatures. No one tire or bearing should be significantly hotter than another.

Battery

• If your trailer has electric brakes, it probably has a 12-volt battery and breakaway switch to run the trailer breaks in case of the hitch coming apart. Checking your battery periodically ensures this fail-safe will work. Batteries typically have to be charged manually. If you don't have 12-volt wiring, you can run a diode (an electrical component that conducts a current) from the brake-light circuit so the battery charges slightly each time the brakes are pressed.

Handling and Driving

• If you have the opportunity, practicing driving with the trailer attached can familiarize you with how it handles and put you at ease, particularly if you're not used to towing trailers. Using low-range gears in situations like boat launching can give you more power and control.

  When on the road, sudden moves should be avoided and more room allowed on right-angle turns. This is because the trailer's wheels are closer to the inside turning path than the vehicle's. Signals should be used well in advance of passing. Avoid passing on hills, and keep one vehicle and trailer length between you and the vehicle you're following for every 10 mph you're traveling at. Give yourself more distance to make stops, driving in a lower gear and pumping the break lightly.