Driving a trailer: Keep these points in mind
Driving with a trailer is and remains a closed book for many, despite having a driving license. However, with a few small tips, trailering will become easier. We have summrized the most important tips for you that you should definitely keep in mind as an inexperienced driver.
Pay attention to the maximum permissible loads
No matter whether you want to tow a braked or unbraked trailer, a maximum trailer load is entered in the vehicle registration document for your towing vehicle. The same applies to your trailer hitch, which is also tested and approved for a trailer load. Before you set off, put together the values of the towing vehicle and trailer coupling and check how much you can really tow and how heavy your trailer will be. Be sure to pay attention to the lowest of the values, as this is decisive. The values should under no circumstances be exceeded, this is dangerous for your journey and can also be noticed negatively during a police check.
Load your trailer correctly
So that your trailer lies safely on the road and the journey runs as smoothly as possible, it is important to load the trailer correctly. In the first step, it is important to keep an eye on the permissible support load. Under no circumstances should you exceed the tongue load of the towing vehicle or that of the trailer hitch. However, it is not a problem to fully use the lower of the two values, you just should not exceed the lower value (and therefore also the higher one).
Make sure to place heavy transport items above the axle of the trailer if possible. If you distribute the loads differently, you will change the optimal road holding of the trailer and possibly influence the optimal braking effect of the trailer. In addition, the heaviest loads should always be stored as low as possible in the trailer; a large cabinet that is transported upright, for example, can easily fall into the trailer when cornering and braking movements happen. However, when lying down, the weight of the trailer is better distributed.
Before driving, you should always secure your transported goods against slipping, tipping over and falling down. Otherwise, the loads could shift as a result of braking, cornering and any necessary evasive maneuvers while driving. You should also secure cargo well that sticks out of the back of the trailer. In addition, you are obliged to mark these cargos.
The correct driving license for your trailer ride
You need the appropriate driving license to travel with the trailer. In Germany there are three driving licenses that allow driving with a trailer, namely the driving license classes B, B96 and BE. The three classes differ mainly in the permissible total mass of the combination that you can tow with the trailer. You can find out more about this in our blog posts about driving licenses.
