Beiträge getagged mit: "accident"

The detachable trailer hitch is a practical and convenient solution: If you want to drive the trailer for a short time, but do not necessarily always want to have a trailer hitch mounted on the vehicle, you can remove it at any time. A rigid ball bar does not offer this and can sometimes be a nuisance, for example when loading the car. Often, vehicle owners do not want to permanently drive around with an unused trailer coupling on the vehicle, as this is seen as an interference with the vehicle’s optics, depending on the model.

The detachable towbar is a good alternative, after all, it can be removed at any time in only a few simple steps and is then neither actually nor visually in the way. However, the detachable towbar should be removed in some situations. Although there are no regulations, you should keep a few points in mind.

That is why you should remove the detachable towbar in these cases

Depending on the trailer coupling and vehicle, it may be that the removal of the ball rod is noted in the vehicle documents and thus made a requirement for driving without a trailer. This case can apply, for example, if the towbar would cover the license plate. This is not allowed and must be avoided when driving without a trailer, so you should remove the towball.

Basically, it makes sense to remove the towball whenever you are not pulling a trailer. This is mainly due to insurance reasons. For example, if you back up to another vehicle while parking, the risk of damage to the opposing vehicle with your trailer hitch still installed is higher. This also comes into play in rear-end collisions, although in that case you are only partly to blame if you did not remove the ball bar. Many insurance companies advise you to always remove the ball rod when it is not in use. By doing that, you can minimize personal or third-party damage and you can be sure that the claims that may be made to the insurance company are not reduced.

Should there ever be a rear-end collision with the tow bar installed, i.e. if someone crashes your car from behind and you have not taken off the towbar, the warranty for the entire trailer hitch expires and it must be replaced. The reason for this is that the smallest cracks in the trailer coupling cannot be ruled out. But even if you have removed the towball and someone hits you on your rear, you should at least contact the manufacturer of the trailer coupling and reassure yourself there with regard to a possibly necessary replacement for the cross member.

In an accident, there are many points that shoot through your head and that you have to pay attention to. The trailer hitch (maybe) does not always come to mind at first. Of course, driving yourself in or against the front of the car will obviously not affect the towbar, although it will certainly damage other areas of the vehicle. Thus, you will have to worry about the trailer hitch when the rear of the vehicle is affected in the accident. So if somebody drives into the back of your car or if you drive too far when parking and end up in the wall, then you should always think about your trailer hitch and question whether it can still be used.

Damage to the trailer hitch – repair required

In the event of a collision on your vehicle and thus also on your trailer hitch, you have to act. A trailer hitch can not be repaired. This is because repairs and modifications of any kind are inadmissible and the approval, which we receive for your trailer hitch and send you, is not valid anymore after an accident. In addition, there are product liability reasons that make it necessary to replace the trailer hitch. If someone crashes into your car frim behind, then possible damage to the trailer hitch is often not really visible. Sure, when the paint is off, the damage does not seem that bad at first. However, you can not detect any damage to the cross member or the side parts with the naked eye. We strongly advise against the repair on your own, not only for the reasons already mentioned. A self-repair does not fulfill the necessary hardening and machining processes which ensure the tensile strength and stability and can not be met by you or in any workshop. If your rear end and thus your trailer hitch has been damaged, you should no longer tow the trailer with the trailer hitch and replace it as soon as possible.

Damage caused by the trailer hitch

In an accident, as we have outlined above, certainly the opposing vehicle is affected. Often it will be the case that your tail looks much more harmless compared to the front of the other party. Due to the trailer hitch on your car, the impact forces of the opponent on his car have a significantly stronger impact, so that his vehicle is certainly badly damaged at the front. But does the trailer hitch affect the liability of the insurance company? Currently there is no official and universal regulation. In the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations in Germany (StVZO) the following is stated in §30c: „[…] no part of the outline of the vehicles may protrude so that they more than inevitably endanger the traffic.“ That is, with a removable trailer coupling or even a swiveling model, the emergence would be avoidable. Therefore, we strongly advise you to have the two models attached or unfolded on the vehicle only if you need the towbar immediately. Otherwise, there may be difficulties with the insurance.