The Top Checks For Your Car Trailer Before Long Journeys

There are around 4800 towing accidents on UK roads annually, making safety checks on commercial car trailers more important than ever. Driving while towing a trailer is a completely different experience to driving normally and this can be a common cause of accidents. Additionally, trailers tend to be left in storage for long periods of time and can become invisibly damaged, making them more prone to issues while on the road. It is the drivers’ responsibility to make sure their commercial covered car trailers are road safe and in full working order before setting off on a long journey.

The first thing to do is check that your driving license entitles you to tow commercial enclosed car trailers and that it has not expired. Towing a trailer without a license can incur a £5000 fine and nine points on your license. Additionally, towing illegally can invalidate your insurance and complicate procedures if you are involved in an accident. If you have the correct license, check the weight of the trailer, making sure it does not exceed your vehicle’s payload. Commercial car trailers are generally made of steel or aluminium and, especially with the car within, can be heavy. An overloaded trailer can put unnecessary stress on the towing vehicle causing erratic steering, accelerating and braking. Essentially, the excess weight can cause you to lose control of both your vehicle and the trailer itself. In these cases, commercial covered car trailers have caused serious accidents.

With these legalities in place, you should check the trailer’s condition before setting off. Commercial car trailers require the same numberplate as the towing vehicle and must fit DVLA’s regulations. Make sure the numberplate is attached securely. Following this, check the trailer’s lights are working and have not been damaged on any previous journeys. Commercial enclosed car trailers have a safety feature called a breakaway cable. In the event of a trailer becoming unhitched while in motion, the breakaway cable will apply the trailer break allowing it to come to a safe stop. This reduces the chance of runaway trailers moving around roads. Before setting off, check the breakaway cable is undamaged and attached to the trailer in the correct place.

Commercial covered car trailers are only as safe as their tires so do not neglect their care. Assure the tire pressure is suitable and take into account the effect cold weather can have on tire pressure. Make sure the tires have no rips, tears or bulges and the appropriate tread. Remember, tyres must have a continuous tread depth of at least 1.6mm on cars, light vans and trailers, across the centre three-quarters of the width. Tires with worn-down treads or any irregularities in shape or texture can become a hazard during driving. Commercial car trailers are heavy and struggle with tight bends and steep inclines. The tires must have sufficient grip to handle these kinds of roads without loosing traction.

Before a long journey, it is advised that the driver have some experience with commercial enclosed car trailers as they are much harder to manoeuvre than cars. The trailer can be bigger and heavier than your car and clearances must be kept in mind when going under low bridges and into petrol stations. Additionally, the extra weight makes the vehicle behave very differently from your car when travelling uphill. Trailers also reduce your ease of handling quick stops and sharp turns. This has to be taken into consideration when driving and you should make wider turns around corners, so the commercial car trailer has enough room to swing round.

Another thing to consider is the stopping distance with a heavier vehicle. The additional weight of the trailer requires a driver to be aware of their surroundings and leave extra space between their vehicle and other road users. An emergency stop is much more difficult to successfully execute without adequate stopping distance and a careful driver.