How to Tow a Trailer

Step 1. Adhere to road rules while driving with a trailer

The open road speed limit for towing a trailer with a light vehicle is 90 kilometres per hour. But, just as when driving without a trailer, it’s a good idea to reduce your speed and drive to the conditions.  Stay in control of your vehicle and trailer by reducing your speed and the need to brake suddenly. If you have to break all of a sudden when it’s wet, you could end up jackknifing. 

Handy Hirepool Tip: Jackknifing is the term used to describe when the trailer pushes the towing vehicle to one side or around so that it faces backward, making a shape that looks like a pocket knife or jackknife. It’s easy to do when you’re learning to tow a trailer. 

Step 2. Lower your speed when steering and turning with a trailer

Turning or steering with a trailer can feel pretty unusual at first. When it comes time for you to steer, the extra weight from your trailer will keep pushing your vehicle along. To help with this, it’s best to keep your speed low and be careful when using your brakes as you turn. As is true every time you drive, be extra careful on loose gravel or in icy conditions. 

Step 3. Mind your braking and following distance

It takes you longer to come to a stop with a heavy load behind you. To combat this, allow at least a 4-second gap between you and the car in front of you, and always use a low gear when driving down a slope. NZTA states that both your vehicle and trailer must be able to come to a full stop from 30 kilometres per hour in less than 7 metres. It’s also always good to check that your brakes and tyres are in good condition before you hit the road. 

Step 4. Practice makes perfect when reversing a trailer

It can seem very overwhelming to start with when reversing a trailer, especially if there’s a crowd watching. Start by adjusting your mirrors so that you can clearly see the end of your trailer, then, turn your car's front wheels to the left to pivot the trailer to the right and vice versa. Once the trailer begins to go in the direction that you want it to, straighten things up. Don’t panic if your trailer starts to jack-knife while you’re reversing. Just stop and drive forward to have another go. Check out our handy video for more tips!

Step 5. Exercise caution when parking a trailer 

Because of the extra space you will require, you need to be quite picky when choosing where to park with a trailer. If your load is quite high, stay aware of the camber or angle of the road as it could mean your load knocks power lines or light poles. 

Step 6. Avoid swaying or snaking 

Your trailer could begin to sway if your load is not even and balanced. To help avoid this, make sure heavy items aren’t piled up at the back end of your trailer and try to not make sudden lane changes. If you do start to sway or snake, don’t abruptly pump your brakes. Instead, stop accelerating and let your vehicle slow down by itself. Check out our handy guide for tips on how to load a trailer. 

Step 7. Be extra cautious when towing at night

If you need to tow at night you must have a red light displayed at the end of your trailer. Similar to regular night driving, you also need to be extra cautious on the road in the dark. If an oncoming vehicle is blinding you with its high beams, try not to suddenly brake. Instead, take your foot off of the accelerator to slow down without swaying. 

Step 8. Always respect other road users

We’ve all been stuck behind a trailer or truck before, so we know how it can feel inconvenient to be slowed down by the vehicle in front. As someone towing a trailer, there are ways you can be respectful to other drivers. Due to your speed restriction, chances are you’ll be slower than other drivers. Regularly check to see if traffic is backed up behind you, and pull over when it’s safe to let cars pass. It’s also a good idea to stop now and again to check that your load is still safely secured.