Trailer Safety is not Trivial

07 Oct Trailer Safety is not Trivial

Trailer Safety

Think about it. Your company tows how much equipment?  Over what type of road conditions?   How many accidents and near misses did you have with your trailer last year (this means the ones that were “mentioned”). We have created a cost effective new training course to help.

* Note: These pictures are merely accident photos, not indicating a lack of skill or ability or at fault of any of the drivers in these accidents.

Life, Limb & Property Damage

More property damage occurs while transporting their snow cats on roads and highways to or from the work area than while driving on the snow. Loading, unloading or towing between locations, it seems that more and more accidents are occurring on the highways or in parking lots, not in the area of intended use.  Our training has taught  our certified snow cat operators this lesson, and we are continually receiving request for methods to address these issues.

Most accidents are caused by:

• Driver error – Neglecting to check proper positioning and loading of trailer.
• Failure to decrease speed
• Failure to properly secure load to trailer
• Failure to account for road surfaces and traction capabilities
• Failure to verify correct attachments of trailer to towing vehicle (ie “which way are those hooks supposed to point” or “the back up brake away battery must be charged, we have not used it for anything”).
• Failure to block motion of trailer during loading and off loading process.  This means a lot more than use your wheel chocks (you of course use them, right?).

Trailer Safety Training Course

In conjunction with Carl Maxey from Maxey Trailers, we are offering an affordable one day training course covering:

• Scheduled maintenance – Are you following your scheduled Trailer Maintenance check list? Do you even know if you have one?
• Do you know the correct load positioning for correct tongue load weight for safe trailer operation?  What are consequences of incorrect tongue weight?
• Pre-Trip Equipment – What are you forgetting that is going to cost you time later?
• Pre-Trip inspections – What are you forgetting with your vehicle inspection? Your trailer?  What are the possible consequences of these “simple oversights”?
• Required documents for commercial operators – Do you know what they are? Do you know what happens to you if you dont have them? Do YOU need a medical certificate, a commercial drivers license to tow your load?
• Cargo control devices, what does DOT require and what does your State require?  What can make such items “un-serviceable” in the “eyes of the law”.
• Trailer Brakes – How do yours work? Are they adjusted correctly?
• Post trip – Do you bother, or are you just relieved to be headed home after the trip?  “Someone” will check the trailer before they use it again….right?
• Loading and unloading – The specific hazards of different loads; Equipment, snowcats, other tracked vehicles.  The terrifying “Moment of Truth” in all trailer loading.
• Specific Additions that common cargo trailers absolutely must have to trailer tracked vehicles of any kind, and what happens when you don’t!  Why buying that “cheap trailer” from your Brother-In-Law can get you killed.
• Benefits and specific hazards to tilt bed trailers while loading and unloading.
• Highway driving techniques to keep you and you load safe.

 Register Now

Class will be 8 hours, held in California and in Colorado. 

For course inquiries, please call 800-485-7669.

Safe Travels!

Art Seely