Beiträge getagged mit: "slippery roads"

In our second part on the subject of traffic signs, we have also put together important traffic signs that you should definitely observe when driving with the trailer in Germany. Of course, this does not mean that you can ignore other traffic signs, but the signs listed below deserve the special attention of trailer drivers and will help you to avoid dangerous situations with the trailer at an early stage.

Narrow lane when towing a trailer

As the driver of a trailer, you must keep an eye on the traffic sign for narrow lanes, especially if your trailer is wider than your towing vehicle. In this case, drive a little more carefully into the bottlenecks or danger spots, drive slowly and use your side mirrors.

In this case, caravan owners should pay particular attention to their trailer and trailer: additional side mirrors are helpful and advisable for towing a caravan, but you should always bear in mind that these change the width of the vehicle.

The traffic sign indicating traffic jam

In the event of a traffic jam, the driver of a trailer has to be particularly careful. Traffic jams harbor some pitfalls, the road narrows due to the emergency lane that is to be formed, and other road users who are not paying attention can lead to situations in which you have to react quickly. Therefore, always drive with foresight and keep calm when you are traveling with a trailer.

You also have to be particularly careful when congestion forms, as it is often necessary to brake harder for a short time. There are many factors that come together that are important to you: Your load should be well secured, you should always be vigilant and attentive in order to be able to recognize traffic jams and braking maneuvers early and to be able to react calmly but purposefully.

Special cases of traffic signs for trailer rides

There are three important road signs that specifically address the team. The first is the danger sign for caravans on inclines. Shown is a team with caravan, provided with the signature „Danger of skidding“. The sign warns of the danger of cross winds on downhill stretches on motorways. It is intended to draw your attention to possible changes in driving behavior.

A single caravan on a white background indicates parking spaces where a caravan may be parked for more than 14 days. Unhitched caravans can usually only be parked for two weeks, after which the parking lot must also be accessible to other road users – at least for a short time. Be sure to comply with this. In the event of a possible check, it is not sufficient to claim that the trailer has been moved, since the tire levels are usually noted and movement of the caravan must be clearly recognizable.

A white sign showing a car with a trailer tells you that the rules of the other signs only apply to teams. The additional sign always refers to the traffic sign that is attached directly above the additional sign.

Traffic signs are essential in road traffic, they regulate traffic, remind people of rules and indicate dangerous spots to road users. You have certainly learned something about all traffic signs in the driving school, we have put together the most important traffic signs for you that you should always keep an eye on when driving with the trailer in Germany. However, please always pay attention to all traffic signs and be alert in traffic – regardless of whether you have a trailer or not.

The trailer ride on slopes and inclines

The two signs indicate whether there is a downhill or an uphill gradient on a road and how large these are. Both are important when driving with a trailer because of the additional weight of the trailer. It can affect the driving behavior and change it from is usual ways – especially when going up or down steep hills. When driving uphill, for example, it is important to drive with foresight and keep an eye on the engine performance. When driving downhill you have to consider that the braking distance changes, accordingly, you must brake earlier and also keep the engine brake in mind as an additional way to brake. In our blog post we have put together more information about towing a trailer on uphill and downhill gradients.

Uneven roadways and their consequences

The traffic sign for uneven roads is important for you as a driver, because bumps in the road can cause the load to behave differently than usual. The load could come loose or start moving. In both cases, this also influences the handling of the vehicle combination. This is just one of the reasons why it is very important to always secure your cargo well. You can read about how best to do this in our blog post on load securing.

Slippery roads when towing a trailer

Even when driving without a trailer, slippery roads are a risk that drivers should always keep an eye on since it may be required to adjust the driving style accordingly. When a trailer starts to slide, it can have very different effects. If the trailer simply slides forward, you as the driver must ensure that you also use the engine brake when braking. The reason is that your car will also slide more, since the weight of the trailer exerts additional force on the vehicle from behind. If the trailer shears out and slides sideways, dangerous situations can quickly arise. It is important for you to remain as calm as possible and to avoid hectic braking and steering maneuvers in any case.

The traffic sign for cross wind when driving a car

This traffic sign is similar to slippery roads: if side winds act on your trailer, it can also happen that you start to sway and the trailer  cannot be steered as usual. Above a certain size, the trailers offer a lot of contact surface for the wind and can be pushed away quickly, especially when they are not loaded. In cross winds, always drive slowly and carefully.

A slippery road surface often makes driving with a trailer difficult, with autumn there is now more moisture and leaves on the road surface, so it can quickly become slippery. It is not only important to let your trailer hitch “hibernate” accordingly in autumn, but also to prepare yourself for the trip with the trailer in foliage and cold weather. We have put together the most important points for such trips on slippery roads for you.

Appropriate coupling

Before each trip with the trailer, you should take a careful look. Is the trailer hitch correctly installed? Is the detachable ball rod correctly engaged and locked? Is the trailer also correctly positioned on the ball bar and also engaged? Has the tear rope been attached correctly? Once all these points have been worked through, you are at least a little bit closer to the trip with the trailer. In principle, the points mentioned should of course not only be checked when driving on slippery roads and in cold weather and leaves on the roads, but before each trip. Your safety and that of other road users is particularly important and can quickly be adversely affected by a detached trailer.

Check lighting – before driving

Before driving with the trailer, make sure that the lighting of the trailer and the electronics are checked. Do all turn signals work? Especially when driving in the dark, it is very important that you are seen and safely participate in road traffic.

Slippery road surface: the right tires are essential

Winter tires are mandatory for motor vehicles and enable safe driving in wet, frost and snow and also on a slipper road. For the trailer, you should also make sure that it is correctly and above all frosted. Otherwise, a slippery road quickly becomes an unwanted adventure. Depending on where your journey takes you or where you are traveling, snow chains are also a sensible investment for the trailer. Make absolutely sure that it is ensured as far as possible that the trailer and the towing vehicle cannot slip.

Pay attention to the speed on a slipper road

As with all trips with a trailer, you should always make sure that you keep to the permissible maximum speed. This is not only important to avoid possible fines, but also to ensure the safest possible ride in the rain and wet or frost.

Secure cargo

It is clear that the load must be secured against slipping on every trip in order to prevent the trailer from swaying as far as possible. Should you get stuck in the snow, for example, then you can use a sensibly planned and loaded load to your advantage and rearrange it so that you can easily free yourself from the situation. For everything, safety always comes first. For the transported goods as well as for the whole team!