Reversing a trailer

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain why a trailer turns the opposite way when reversing.
• You can reverse a trailer in a straight line using small corrections.
• You can reverse a trailer round a curve or into a space.
• You can use mirrors and a helper safely while reversing.
• You can recognise jack-knifing early and recover by pulling forward.

What you need to know and understand

• When reversing, turning the car's steering one way pushes the back of the trailer the other way.
• Small, slow steering inputs work far better than large ones.
• Keep the speed very low, at walking pace or slower, using clutch control or gentle brake control.
• Shorter trailers react faster than longer ones and are harder to control in reverse.
• Jack-knifing is when the angle between car and trailer becomes too sharp; it can damage the car, trailer or tow bar.
• The simplest fix when the angle gets too great is to stop, pull forward to straighten up and try again.
• You should look all around before and during reversing, and give way to pedestrians.

Why the trailer goes the other way

The trailer pivots on the tow ball, which sits behind the car's rear axle. When you reverse and steer left, the back of the car swings left, which pushes the tow ball left and turns the back of the trailer to the right.

A popular way to make this easier is to hold the steering wheel at the bottom. Move your hand in the direction you want the back of the trailer to go: hand to the left, trailer goes left. Make small movements and wait for the trailer to respond.

A method for a controlled reverse

1. Set up straight: pull forward until the car and trailer are in line, ideally with some room in front.
2. Check all round, including blind spots, and use towing mirrors to see down both sides.
3. Move back very slowly. Speed makes every mistake bigger.
4. To start a turn, make a small steering input in the opposite direction to where you want the trailer to go, or use the hand-at-the-bottom method.
5. As soon as the trailer begins to turn, steer back the other way to follow it round, so the car follows the trailer.
6. Straighten the steering as the trailer reaches the line you want.
7. If the angle becomes too sharp, stop, pull forward to straighten up and start again.

Working with a helper and staying safe

Your view behind a caravan or box trailer is limited, so a helper can be valuable. Agree simple hand signals before you start, and make sure they stand where you can see them in a mirror and where they are not between the trailer and anything solid. If you lose sight of them, stop.

Reverse on a quiet, open area first, such as an empty car park with permission, before trying campsites, driveways or busy places. Remember that you must look all around while reversing and give way to anyone crossing behind you. Reversing camera systems help, but they do not replace looking.

On the public road, avoid reversing a trailer from a side road into a main road. Plan your route so you can turn round by driving forward wherever possible.

Common mistakes

• Using large steering movements. Turn a little, wait, then adjust.
• Reversing too fast. Keep it at a crawl so you have time to react.
• Letting the angle get too tight and trying to rescue it in reverse. Pull forward and start again.
• Relying only on one mirror. Check both sides and look round.
• Using a helper without agreed signals or losing sight of them.

Test yourself: Reversing a trailer

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

Go deeper

• Towing After Your Car Test