Month: August 2021

Most drivers don’t realize that towing is different from driving normally. There are some towing safety facts that you must observe when you are towing so that you don’t end up causing accidents. For instance, a 35-mph crosswind can put as much as 3,440 pounds of force pushing against a huge trailer. This is from research done on commercial vehicle towing accidents by Knott Laboratory.

Take Your Time

Speeding is very dangerous, especially when you are towing another vehicle or a trailer. When you have a trailer, you must move at a slower speed than you usually do. Ideally, you should maintain your speed at about 55 km/h. This will help you maintain control if your trailer starts to sway. If you are moving very fast and your trailer starts to sway, it might start to whip. Unfortunately, if this happens, the car will be very difficult to control and stay on the road. Also, as you go uphill, slow down and engage a lower gear. For additional safety, you will also have to turn your flashers on to warn other drivers that you’ll be moving slower than usual.

If You Lose Control, Don’t Panic

It’s not uncommon to lose control if you are towing. However, if this happens, don’t panic. Rather, remember your towing safety facts. Panicking might cause you to make all the wrong moves and worsen the situation. For instance, remember never to steer sharply or apply your brakes if you lose control. If you are towing something heavy, making sudden moves can cause accidents because your momentum can send both your car and the trailer in the wrong direction.

Stay Within Capacity

Every vehicle has a towing capacity. You must always check the towing capacity of your car before you go on the road. Going past your capacity can be very dangerous. This can affect the performance of your brakes, and this can cause handling complications. You might also end up damaging your suspension, engine, or drivetrain. Also, when towing, remember to factor in any passengers and extra luggage. This will contribute to your total load.

Inspect Your Trailer

Before you head out, you must inspect the trailer to ensure that everything is working as it should. For instance, you must check to see if the trailer lights are working before you start. You must also double-check to see if the trailer is hooked to your car properly.

There are a lot of towing safety facts that you should know about towing. Before you go on the road, you must also find someone to help you perform a final check of your trailer. They might spot something that you would have missed.

The NHTSA reports that there are more than 50,000 accidents yearly related to towing. Some of these accidents occur because of a poorly maintained air brake controller. The heat generated by your vehicle’s engine is converted into kinetic energy, which then makes the car move. However, when you want your car to stop, that same energy needs to be reversed. The kinetic energy moving your car must be converted to heat, which then brings the vehicle to a stop. This is where your air brake controller comes in. Your air brakes operate on compressed air, especially in a heavy vehicle. It is important to ensure that you maintain them often to ensure safe driving.

Low Risk of Brake Failure

Servicing your air brake controller is the most important step in airbrake maintenance. If your air brake controller is kept clean and in good shape, there will be fewer brake failures. You must also go the extra mile to make sure that the air compressor intake filters foreign material out of the lines.

To test whether your air brake controller is working, you can perform a simple operational test. This test can be performed on the road or at the brake shop. When doing an operational test, all you need to do is apply and release brakes while you observe if there is an equal application or binding linkage. You must also check if there is any sluggish engagement or release and exhaust of units.

You must also check the leakage of the entire system. To do this, you need to fully charge the air brake system and turn off the ignition. You must then check to see if the pressure will drop on the gauge installed on the vehicle’s dash.

Maintenance is Necessary for Optimum Performance

Air brake maintenance is an important factor in achieving optimum system performance. If you want to achieve maximum brake torque, your air brake controller should be maintained regularly. Failure to do so might result in a significant loss of brake torque. Air brake control maintenance also involves brake adjustment. Many air-braked vehicles on the road have brakes that are not properly adjusted. This means that all these vehicles will be operating at a reduced effectiveness level. If you want to improve truck safety, you must ensure that your air brake controller is maintained regularly.