How To Drive With Trailers

There are several important things to keep in mind if you are planning on towing a trailer or boat. Keep these tips in mind in order to keep you, your passengers and other cars on the road safe.

1. Remember to leave extra turning room for yourself. This will be mainly dependent on the length of the trailer, so you'll want to get a feel for it before you enter onto a busy road. With right turns, always remember to turn wide so that you don't jump the curb.

2. Remember to allow yourself extra braking distance. With an average 3000lb trailer or boat, you will need to allow yourself plenty of room between you and the cars ahead of you. You may need to shift heavier items in your trailer to the front and the lighter ones to the back. If you are towing a boat, you will need to re-adjust your settings to allow for optimal results. If you have brakes on your trailer, this will improve outcomes, but be aware that emergency situations can arise. In the event of an emergency, you'll want to give yourself enough room to be able to react. Basically, allow double the room between you and other vehicles.

3. What should you do if you are on the highway and your trailer begins to sway? You should slow down without using your brakes and try to pull over as soon as you possibly can. Do not hit your brakes or your accelerator as this will make the situation worse. Try not to panic or veer sharply in one direction or another; this will make the trailer jackknife, and you don't want that.

4. When you back up, everything is opposite. When you turn your wheels left, your trailer will go right. It helps to have a spotter because you should try not to rely on your rear-view mirrors.

5. Check tire pressure and make sure the tires on your trailer are rotated to avoid blow-outs.

6. Overall, drive as if you are 3000lb heavier, which means don't drive too fast or try to brake or accelerate heavily.

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