Driving with a trailer

By the end of this topic you can

• You can check that your licence and vehicle are right for the trailer you plan to tow.
• You can hitch a trailer with safety chains and working lights.
• You can load a trailer so it is stable on the road.
• You can adjust your speed, following distance and lane choice for towing.
• You can respond calmly if the trailer starts to sway.

What you need to know and understand

• In Ontario, a G1, G2 or G licence lets you tow a trailer with a gross weight up to 4,600 kg; heavier trailers need a higher class.
• In BC, a Class 4 or 5 driver needs a house trailer endorsement to tow a house trailer over 4,600 kg fully loaded.
• Ontario requires brakes on a trailer whose gross weight is 1,360 kg or more. Other provinces set their own thresholds.
• Ontario law says nobody may ride in a trailer, including a house trailer, while it is being towed.
• Only one trailer may be towed behind a non-commercial vehicle in Ontario.
• About 5 to 10 per cent of the trailer's total weight should rest on the hitch.
• Towing makes your stopping distance longer and passing much slower.

Before you hook up

Check your owner's manual for the vehicle's towing capacity and the hitch rating, and never go over either. The trailer must be registered and plated where your province requires it, and its lights must work with your vehicle's signals and brake lights.

1. Line up the tow ball under the coupler and lower it fully, then lock the latch.
2. Attach two safety chains, crossed under the tongue, with hooks that cannot open by accident.
3. Connect the wiring and the breakaway cable if the trailer has one.
4. Check the tail lights, brake lights and both turn signals with a helper.
5. Check tire pressures on the trailer and the tow vehicle.
6. Adjust or add mirrors so you can see along both sides of the trailer.

Loading for stability

A badly loaded trailer is the main cause of sway, also called fishtailing. Put more of the weight ahead of the trailer axle, keep heavy items low, and tie everything down so it cannot shift. Too little weight on the hitch makes a trailer wander; too much pushes down the rear of the tow vehicle and lightens the steering.

Speed, space and braking

Most provinces do not post a special towing speed limit, but you must still drive slower than you would without a trailer. Speed up gently, leave a much bigger gap to the vehicle ahead, and start braking earlier. Stay out of the fast lane on multi-lane highways.

Passing takes far longer when you are towing, so only pass on long, clear stretches and leave plenty of room before moving back. Going downhill, choose a lower gear so you are not riding the brakes. Make turns wider, because the trailer wheels track inside the path of your vehicle.

If the trailer sways

Wind gusts and large trucks passing can push a trailer sideways.

• Do not brake hard or jerk the steering wheel.
• Ease off the accelerator and hold the wheel steady to steer back into position.
• When a truck or bus passes, keep off the brakes and steer straight; Ontario's handbook notes a slight speed increase can help.
• Once things settle, stop somewhere safe and check how the load is balanced.

Common mistakes

• Putting heavy items at the back of the trailer, which invites sway. Load heavier gear ahead of the axle.
• Following at the same distance as without a trailer. Double your gap and brake earlier.
• Forgetting to cross the safety chains or check the lights. Do a walk-around before every trip.
• Cutting corners and clipping curbs. Swing wider so the trailer wheels clear the corner.
• Assuming your car licence covers any trailer. Check your province's weight limits first.

Test yourself: Driving with a trailer

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.