Towing in a work vehicle

Towing requires more knowledge and different skills than normal driving. A driver who isn’t experienced in towing needs to understand the general principles of driving with a trailer before attempting to tow in traffic or at highway speeds.

How to tow safely

Here is some important advice to follow when you’re towing:

• Allow for the trailer’s extra length and width when you enter traffic, and its tendency to ‘cut in’ on corners and curves.
• Apply the accelerator, brakes and steering smoothly and gently to avoid sway, especially in wet or slippery conditions.
• Allow for the increased effects of crosswinds, passing vehicles and uneven road surfaces on the vehicle and trailer combination.
• Avoid applying the towing vehicle’s brakes if the trailer begins to sway or ‘snake’. If the trailer is fitted with brakes that can operate independently, apply them gently. Otherwise, continue at a steady speed or accelerate slightly until the sway stops.
• Leave a longer stopping distance to the vehicle ahead and increase the gap for longer, heavier trailers. Allow even more distance in poor driving conditions.
• When travelling downhill, engage a lower gear in both manual and automatic vehicles to increase vehicle control and reduce strain on brakes.
• Allow more time and distance to overtake because of the reduced performance of the towing vehicle, and avoid ‘cutting off’ the overtaken vehicle when you’re returning to the left lane.
• If possible, have a person watch the rear of the trailer when you reverse.
• Avoid holding up traffic behind you. Pull off the road where safe to do so and allow faster vehicles to overtake.

The laws for towing

You must always abide by the laws governing the towing of trailers:

• The trailer must be registered, safe and roadworthy.
• The trailer must be fitted with a rear number plate.
• The trailer’s braking system (if fitted) must be operational.
• The towing vehicle must be
• fitted with an appropriately rated and approved towbar, tow ball and coupling
• properly equipped for towing with suitable mirrors, lights, electrical fittings, safety chains and load levelling equipment, if required.
• The loaded trailer weight must not exceed the towing capacity of the tow vehicle or the vehicle’s towbar.
• The load in the trailer must be loaded carefully so it won’t overload the trailer, upset the balance or prevent the tow vehicle operating safely.
• The trailer must be properly secured and/or covered, so it’s not a hazard to other road users.

Checks before taking a long trip

General checks

Towing places additional demands on the vehicle. So, before you start each trip, you should check:

• all the tyres carefully
• oil, water, brake fluid, battery
• that the coupling socket and ball are the matching size (or, if not a ball coupling, ensure that all parts fit and function properly)
• that the coupling is fastened securely, and latched or screwed down when the trailer is connected to the towing vehicle
• that the trailer brake and light connections are secure, and all lights are working
• that initial operating adjustment of electric or vacuum-operated brakes fitted to the trailer comply with the manufacturer’s instructions
• that all doors, hatches, covers and any load or equipment are properly secured.

Tyre pressure

When you tow heavily loaded trailers, increase the vehicle tyre pressure to the level recommended in the owner handbook or on the tyre placard (usually about 15kPa above normal). Otherwise, ask a local tyre dealer.

Safety chains

Before heading off, check that safety chains are properly connected with attachments that can withstand the specified breaking load of each chain. Do not use padlocks.

If 2 chains are fitted, cross them under the drawbar before they are attached to the towing vehicle. This provides better directional control of the trailer and helps prevent the front of the drawbar hitting the road if the coupling disconnects.

During the trip

Soon after you start each trip, stop in a safe location and make sure the:

• couplings and safety chains are still fastened
• brakes and wheel-bearings are not overheating
• light connections are secure, and lights are still working
• tyres are still inflated correctly and not rubbing on the mudguards, suspension or trailer body
• loads, doors, hatches and covers are still properly secured.

On long trips, repeat these checks every 2–3 hours when you’re taking a rest stop.

Planning your trip

When you’re towing, make the trip is safer, well planned and more enjoyable by:

• scheduling more rest stops and shorter travelling days for long trips, as towing is more stressful than normal driving and more likely to cause driver fatigue
• not holding up traffic behind you unnecessarily
• looking further ahead than usual to anticipate appropriate driving actions for traffic and road conditions
• keeping an eye on the fuel gauge, as fuel consumption increases for most light vehicles that are towing large trailers, particularly at speeds above 90km/h.

Read more about towing on the Queensland Government website.