Breadcrumb Trail Links
Unbalanced loads, inexperienced drivers, and poor education can have dire consequences
Author of the article:Lorraine Sommerfeld Publishing date: Jul 29, 2021•July 29, 2021•4 minute read• Join the conversation
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“MTO officers assisted this motorist today after their pickup truck and travel trailer severely jackknifed. Contributing factors to this incident included incorrect load distribution, driver inexperience and speed. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility.” The tweet from @mtomike earlier this week was succinct. The occurrence was also not rare. Towing is not some magic skill you receive when you jump behind the wheel and just… start driving with a trailer on the back. Just take a look at the aftermath of the aforementioned ordeal:
#MTOofficers assisted this motorist today after their pickup truck and travel trailer severely jackknifed. Contributing factors to this incident included incorrect load distribution, driver inexperience and speed. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. @ONtransport pic.twitter.com/g2LE0ztKXl
— M Taylor (@mtomike) July 26, 2021 We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or
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If you’ve ever driven up Highway 400 and spotted someone cottage-bound with a homemade trailer laden with everything including the kitchen sink, you know how fast you put space between your vehicle and the grenade about to drop lawn chairs and hibachis all over the place. Can that be legal, you ask yourself, thinking the fine must be huge for someone who could conceivably leave a trail of destruction in their wake? Guess again: 160 bucks. That’s it.
My favourite overloaded trailer story, ever, came to a safe end because police in Huntsville found it before it got very far two years ago. Have you ever thought, “I wonder if I can do it all in one trip?” Here’s whatthat looked like. I won’t make a Clampett joke.
The top nine problems for weekend towers:
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Why weight distribution is really important on a trailer. pic.twitter.com/7EvMYyho2I
— Universal Curiosity (@UniverCurious) October 7, 2019
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If you can’t back up a vehicle with a trailer, you shouldn’t be driving a vehicle with a trailer. It’s a skill, and takes a lot of practice. It’s counterintuitive, and you have to be prepared to drive your set-up safely in all ways. If you’re concerned about weather, or not sure how to operate tie-downs, you’re better off renting an enclosed trailer. Even with a small trailer, you need more braking distance. Set your side mirrors properly, and stop frequently to check your load at a safe pullover spot.
If you’re borrowing someone else’s camper or trailer, take it on a test run. Don’t wreck your holiday with something that can be avoided with a little planning.
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