Trailer Laws

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DJE

DJE

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Just started towing a sailing dinghy on a road trailer again after several years off. Anybody know if there is a web site with all the relevant traffic laws so that I can refresh my memory. I don't think there is a weight problem as it is a small dinghy and a heavy car but what about speed limits? And are we allowed in the outside lane of the motorway? Anything else that plod will be waiting to spring on us?
 
I think you will find that you are limited to 50 MPH and NO you may NOT use the outside lane on a Motorway or such like. But things change as I found out when I did my C.B.T. ealier this year, when did they change all those road signs ? (When asked about a STOP sign I described the old inverted triangular Halt sign Dohhh!) /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
I think you can do 60 on motorways now - 50 on National Speed Limit roads.

Search for the National Trailer Towing Association (NTTA) - I think they have a good website.
 
the law is quite complicated the only thing you will have concerns about are the over hangs on the width
i have trailed widely in this country and abroad i usually carry the department of transports information with me as the police are unsure on the finer details
 
A few years ago, I got a tame traffic policeman to write up some FAQ's on another site for posting here, and he loved it, and rose to the challenge well. Unfortunately, if I post links to old threads I get jumped on, so you'll have to find them yourself.
 
PBO did an article on this a few years ago. I think the upshot was that the buoys in blue are as ignorant of the law regarding towing trailers as the rest of us. If your indicators and brake lights work, and you can keep up with the flow, they're unlikely to stop you.
 
One change is that you must now have some kind of secondary attachment which will keep the trailer connected to and going in the same direction as the car if it jumps free of the towball. On dinghy trailers this is often a wire strop bolted to the trailer which will loop round the ball.
 
Short Trailer Laws

Construction.

Towbar must use approved attachment points on vehicle. Some vehicles cannot tow if manufacturer decides not!

Can't be over about 8'6" wide or 20' long (excluding drawbar)(check exact dimensions for yourself).

Must have efficient mudguards (and many don't). I think the 'load' can provide part of spray protection.

Must be plated with CE mark, U/L and Max Gross weight.

Projections must be protected and marked (eg day-glow propellor bag).

Must show numberplate and lights as normal vehicle, plus 2 reflective red triangles at rear. Indicators must still flash between 60 - 120 fpm so needs aux. flasher, and aux tell-tail at driver position.

Must have secondary attachment by means of breakaway cable / chain that applies brakes to trailer.

Use.

If under 750 kg Gross it can be unbraked as long as tow vehicle is double that.

Should not exceed car manufacturers recommended towing limit . Trailer must not be unsafely loaded. These two points are open to considerable interpratation, the first one particularly.

If over 750kg, must have overrun brakes. Above a certain max train weight, must have coupled, powered brakes.

Cannot use lane 3 of M-way.

Speed limit 60mph on M-way or dual carr with nat. limit. 50mph on 60mph roads, max speed as indicated elswhere.
 
Slightly wrong Thistle. The secondary attachment is not meant to keep the trailer "going in the same direction."

I believe UK law dictates that with a braked trailer the wire is attached to your car and the other end to the trailer brakes. If the tow parts, the wire will pull the brakes on and will then break.

I know mine works because having carefull back up my trailer - into a grass field - I took off the light board, fixed the wheel clamp, disconnected the wiring plug and lifted the trailer off the towing ball.

I drove off and the brakes of the trailer applied and the wire duly snapped, because I forgot to take it off!!

My Brother in Australia has to attach a chain between the trailer and the car. A friend of his had a tow that parted from his car and was nearly killed by the two ton trailer that tried to leap aboard his convertable at 60 mph.
 
Re: Short Trailer Laws

[ QUOTE ]
Must be plated with CE mark, U/L and Max Gross weight.

[/ QUOTE ]
Whilst that is desirable and mandatory for new trailers I understand that existing trailers are OK as long as the Gross Trailer Weight is marked on the nearside of the drawbar. I gleaned this from a designer at Brian James Trailers, who I would hope know the law.
The Gross Trailer Weight is governed by the weakest component used; ie. if the towhitch is marked as 30cwt (1500Kg) then that is the most the trailer can be rated at (including the trailer weight).

NTTA web site, trailer plating requirements
 
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