by Jim Bessey

Created on: August 02, 2009

Towing safety begins in your driveway.

Other than driving in a blizzard or hurricane, pulling a camper trailer down the highway is one of the most dangerous things you can do with your tow vehicle. On the other hand, what's better than being on the open road, with your living quarters on wheels? With sound attention to detail and a reasonable level of caution, you can safely haul your family camping trailer down the highway for a memorable vacation. Make it a habit to go over your camping rig with a safety checklist before you hit the road.

There's a lot riding on your tires.

You've heard the expression, "kick the tires before you go," right? That's a great place to start. Proper inflation for all eight tires (at least!) on your tow vehicle and your travel trailer is critical. Use the high-end of your tires' listed cold pressure numbers for good-weather hauling. All four trailer tires should have identical readings. You can use a mid- to low-range setting for your vehicle's front tires to ensure smooth handling. Visually inspect all tread surfaces for unusual wear while your adjusting tire pressures, too. Never needlessly risk a blow-out on the highway!

Look for trouble before you hitch up your wagon.

Two sure warning signs of trouble are rust and frayed wires. A rusty hitch could be dangerously weakened. Use a wire-brush and good lighting for a closer look. See any cracks? If you have any doubt about your hitch's integrity, have it checked by a qualified shop. Replacing a damaged hitch component is a minor inconvenience compared to the potential consequences. If all you're seeing is surface rust, brush it clean then prime and repaint. If your safety chains are badly rusted, consider installing a new set - a small investment that looks good. Take a minute to lubricate moving and load-bearing parts, too.

Make good connections.

Inspect your wiring harness for wear and bad connections. A brake or turn signal that fails to light up on the road can lead directly to an accident. Replacing wiring and connectors is easy and inexpensive when the repairs are made at home. Pay special attention to your break-away brake lead, usually mounted beneath your camper's hitch. Make sure the release-key actually does release, and see that the connecting cable isn't rusty or frayed. Open your trailer's battery case, too; the terminals should be clean and the connections secure. When in doubt, have the battery tested. The trailer's battery supplies power to the brakes in an emergency.

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