The holidays are all about spending quality time with the people you love. Because of this, people during the holidays would normally take long drives to be with friends and family. However, no matter how excited you are to go back home, the travel is not without certain precautions.
On your journey, you may encounter engine problems and minor vehicular accidents due to changes in climate. You may even encounter other things if you happen to be towing a caravan or trailer. Here are just some common towing problems you might face during the holidays:
Laws in Different States
During the holidays, some people travel through different states to visit friends and relatives. Each state has its own local regulations regarding towing, so you have to keep that in mind. Otherwise you may face delays or even pay fines before you get to your destination. You must not only know the laws of your own state, but those of every other state you intend to pass through.
Underinflated Tires
When you travel for a long time during the holidays, you may feel like the tires of your vehicle seem underinflated or deflated. This is quite dangerous. If you are not careful, this could lead to serious accidents. Poor preparation or failure to make stops along the way are typically the main culprit.
Before you start your journey, make sure that your tires are properly inflated and that you carry at least an extra tire. Also remember that it is a long journey. You need to stop at times to make sure that the drive is going smoothly.
Vehicle is Difficult to Control
If you’re towing a vehicle, whether it is a trailer or caravan, you may at times feel that you’re out of control. In such case, this may be an issue of improper cargo loading. The trailer could be off balance, or every turn could make the cargo move. Make sure that your cargo is not only distributed evenly, but also that they are secure. This is to prevent them from shifting during travel.
Another issues related to this could be overloading. Take note that you are towing another vehicle from one place to another. Hence, you must pay attention to how much you load in your vehicle, and how much weight it can actually take. Check your tow ratings, or read the manual on how much your tow can carry. Too much can make maneuvering difficult or even impossible to do.
Accidents not Covered by Insurance
In times when accidents appear to be inevitable, it could be quite troublesome to know that it is not actually covered by your insurance. You wouldn’t want to celebrate with huge liabilities. So before going on the road, be sure to check your insurance coverage capacity. Not all travel trailer insurance covers total loss recovery or cargo damage.
These are just some of the issues you might face when towing during the holidays. Remember that it is always better to be over-prepared than under-prepared during the holiday season. An expert towing company would be a more practical choice. Relieve yourself from the unnecessary stress by hiring a towing company to do the job for you!
Written by the staff of Tiger Towing in Columbia, MO.