Travel safely with your car and luggage trailer
Are you going on holiday with a trailer and your car soon? Go through the checklist below and prevent dangerous situations on the road. We wish you a safe journey.
Checklist:
Loading the trailer
Checking tyre pressure
Adjusting the headlights
Coupling the trailer
Final check before departure
Know what to do if your trailer starts swaying
1. Loading the trailer
Prevent overloading
Properly loaded luggage trailers remain stable on the road. That is why it is important to make sure the trailer is not overloaded. This helps you prevent dangerous situations on the way to your holiday destination, as well as substantial fines. In the Netherlands, the fine for driving with an overloaded trailer is between €90 and €300. The more severe the overload, the higher the fine.
Are you not 100% sure what the maximum gross load capacity of your luggage trailer is? Contact your Hapert dealer.
Secure the luggage properly
Make sure the load is properly secured to prevent it from shifting while driving. Loose luggage can negatively affect the road handling of your trailer.
Distribute the load evenly
Follow the tips below for distributing the load to ensure good braking performance and optimal road handling.
- Make sure the centre of gravity of the load is positioned as close as possible above the axle.
- Place all heavy luggage as much as possible above the axle of the trailer.
- Distribute the load evenly across the left and right sides of the luggage trailer.
- Avoid point loads.
- Couple the trailer to your car before loading the luggage.
Ensure the correct nose weight
Always avoid nose weight that is too low or too high. This can cause the luggage trailer to skid or sway.
Would you like to know more about achieving the correct nose weight?
The best nose weight is close to the maximum permitted pressure on the towbar. The maximum nose weight is usually stated on the type plate of the towbar or the vehicle.
2. Checking tyre pressure
Prevent overloading
The load and tyre pressure have a major influence on the safety of your trailer. That is why you should also check the pressure before you leave. The correct tyre pressure not only provides better grip on the road, but also minimises the risk of a blowout. This also means the tyres last longer.
Also make sure that the rear tyres of the car have maximum tyre pressure. This is necessary because of the nose weight of the luggage trailer and the luggage in the boot of the car.
3. Adjusting the headlights
A fully loaded luggage trailer and extra luggage in the boot can cause the car’s headlights to point too high. In that case, it is important to adjust the headlights downwards before going on holiday with a trailer.
4. Coupling
Check whether the coupling locks properly into place. The nose weight ensures that the coupling is locked onto the towbar. This is always clearly audible. When the trailer is properly coupled, the towball is no longer visible and the handle automatically slides back to its starting position, indicated by a green +. Good coupling is one of the basic safety checks when going on holiday with a trailer.
5. Final check before departure
Handbrake breakaway cable
Check whether the handbrake breakaway cable is properly secured. The breakaway cable ensures that the handbrake is applied if the luggage trailer unexpectedly detaches from the car. In that case, the trailer brakes automatically and the cable breaks due to the pulling force of the car. By law, the handbrake breakaway cable must be attached to a fixed point on the car or towbar. Please note: making a loop around the towbar is not permitted in the Netherlands.
Do you not have a fixed attachment point on the towbar? Then use an auxiliary coupling.
Plug
Check whether the plug is properly connected.
Trailer handbrake
Check whether the luggage trailer handbrake is released before you drive away.
Trailer lighting
Check whether the trailer lighting works. Trailers must be equipped with:
- 2 front position lights with white light if the trailer is wider than 1.60 metres
- 2 rear indicators with red or amber light
- 2 brake lights with red or amber light
- 2 rear lights with red light
- Number plate lighting with white light
It may happen that the lighting of the trailer stops working during the journey. It is therefore advisable to take a wiring diagram of the plug with you when going on holiday with a trailer.
Maximum speed
Each country has its own speed limits for cars with trailers. Are you going on holiday abroad? We have listed the maximum speeds for the most popular holiday countries for you.
6. Know what to do if your trailer starts swaying
On the way to your holiday destination, it may happen that the trailer starts swaying. Be prepared for this type of situation. If your luggage trailer starts swaying, respond as follows:
- do not increase your speed;
- release the accelerator and brake firmly;
- keep the steering wheel straight until the trailer stops swaying;
- drive at a lower speed to the first possible parking area.
Once you have arrived at the parking area, it is important to check the trailer for the following points:
- Is the load bed evenly loaded?
- Is the luggage properly secured?
- Is the tyre pressure correct?
- Is the nose weight optimal?
If everything is in order, you can calmly continue your journey.
During descents, it is important not to let the speed of your car and trailer increase too much. This helps prevent the luggage trailer from swaying during the descent.
