1.Load
Safety begins before you every pull away from your home; it begins as soon as you start loading your trailer. Just over half of the weight of your load should be placed just in front of the front axle. Your load should be as centered as possible, evenly distributing the weight across the bed of your trailer. Resist the urge to stack your load too high, even if you have straps; the lower you keep the center of gravity, the safer your pulling will be.2.Stopping
When you’re driving down the road, especially if you’re driving through an urban area, remember that your heavier load will increase your braking time. Make sure that you keep more distance than normal between yourself and the car ahead of you. Also keep in mind that you won’t be able to stop as suddenly as you would be if you weren’t pulling your trailer; be sure to continuously scan ahead of and around your vehicle for stopped traffic, animals on the side of the road and pedestrians.3.Changing Lanes
It’s not uncommon for a vehicle pulling a trailer to hit the vehicle next to them when changing lanes. This is because drivers sometimes fail to remember that they have eight, ten or even fifteen extra length of vehicle behind them. If you must change lanes, be sure to use your signal, and only change lanes when you are certain that there is enough distance between yourself and the car behind you.4.Speed
When pulling a trailer, it’s imperative that you remember that you’re pulling extra weight. If there is a slow moving vehicle ahead of you, do your best to resist the urge to pass it. If there are cars speeding by you, don’t be tempted to increase your speed to keep up. Remember, too, that it will take you longer to accelerate from a stop, and that you should do so slowly and evenly.5.Security
Aside from driving safely, you’ve got to remember to keep your trailer secure. A hitch lock will ensure that you don’t have to worry about thieves removing your trailer when you are away from your vehicle. If at all possible, secure your load with some type of locking cover or mechanism as well. If you expect a thief to walk past your trailer in favor of another vehicle, you’ve got to make sure that your trailer, and your load, is too cumbersome to steal.Pulling a trailer isn’t at all difficult once you get used to the extra length and weight attached to your vehicle. If you follow good diving habits, obey the rules of the road and remain considerate of other drivers, you will have no problem hauling your load one mile down the road or thousands of miles across the country.
Author Dan Nielson is a contract electrician and blogs for truckspring.com, a site that specializes in suspensions for trucks. They have everything you need from replacing an air bag suspension to leveling kits.
Image via eXtentionhorses' photo stream on flickr.
