As reported by the NHTSA, there are over 50,000 towing accidents annually. Therefore, learning how to tow safely is imperative if you own an RV. For starters, you need to invest in the best trailer brake controller so that your RV can stop and brake smoothly. Here’s how the best trailer brake controller will increase your towing safety.
RV Trailer Brake Controllers
As mentioned above, installing the best trailer brake controller on your towing truck will boost your towing safety by a big shot. Luckily, you have two great options for your brake controllers — electronic brake controllers and air brake controllers. Both options will provide smooth brake actuation when you’re towing your RV on the highway. A substantial percentage of the towing related accidents are caused by uneven breaking that causes your RV to jerk your towing truck back and forth. Other times, when you have poor trailer brake controllers, the RV may only stop after a couple of minutes. If you were going for an emergency stop, the brakes would fail and lead to a disastrous collision. Therefore, investing in the best trailer brake controller is the first step towards towing safety.
Negotiating Sharp Turns
For right-angle turns, curves, and roundabouts, your RV will follow the path of your tow vehicle naturally. In this case, turning will be almost effortless, as it is with a normal vehicle. Having the best trailer brake controller will also help you negotiate corners with much-more ease. What you want to consider when taking corners is the length of your trailer and the space available on the roadway. The longer your trailer, the more turning space you need on the roadway. This is especially important when the turn is sharper than 90 degrees. Taking sharper corners will be an ordeal if you’re towing a longer trailer, and you don’t have enough driveway space to take a wide turn. Additionally, if your trailer can’t brake simultaneously when you apply the brakes, then it’s easy to topple over when making a turn. The more reason you need the best brake controllers.
Driving Up and Down Steep Hills
Depending on the horsepower and the towing power of your truck, steep hills and mountain passes can give you a rough time. If you can avoid the steeper hills and mountains, you’ll be doing your trailer and towing vehicle much good. But sometimes you cannot avoid some of these hills, especially if you’re going camping in some remote locations. The horsepower of your towing vehicle will largely determine if you can take on a steep hill with your trailer. If your towing vehicle has enough horsepower, it will then come down to the quality of your trailer brake controllers, especially when coming down a steep hill. You can imagine how bad the trailer would jackknife and roll you down the hill when you can’t control its speed coming down the hill. That’s why you need to install the best trailer brake controller so that you have no problems driving up or down a steep hill.
Managing Trailer Sway
When you’re driving, it’s normal for your trailer to sway a little. As long as the trailer is well-hitched to your towing vehicle, and the truck can support the trailer’s weight, a little sway isn’t dangerous. However, when you’re driving at top speed and the sway increases, chances of crashing are high. To avoid trailer sway, you can invest in a trailer sway control and the best trailer brake controller. They’ll help manage the dangerous trailer sway that can cause you to topple over.
Ultimately, investing in the best trailer brake controller will boost your towing safety on the highway and also while cruising off-road. Having invested a substantial amount of money in your RV, it makes sense to install trailer brake controllers and other features that will enhance its performance while also increasing your towing safety. Hayes Towing Electronics Products are Proudly Made in the U.S.A