How to Drive a Truck with a Trailer

Towing a trailer behind a truck adds a lot of weight. With that extra weight come extra responsibilities. It is important that you understand how to drive a truck with a trailer attached before taking it out on the open road in order to avoid potential accidents.

Things You'll Need

  • Truck with trailer
  • Load the trailer with the heaviest items over the axle and toward the front of the trailer, and lighter items toward the rear.

  • Do not tow more than your truck is rated to tow. Check your owner’s manual to determine the maximum load your truck can handle. Pulling more than the recommended load can damage your engine, drive train, transmission, brakes and suspension system.

  • Stay back from the vehicle in front of you. Double the “two-second rule” to allow four seconds between you and the vehicle ahead of you. Because the trailer adds extra weight to your truck’s load, it will take longer for you to stop.

  • Allow ample turning room when making right hand turns to avoid hitting curbs, street signs, or traffic lights. Start your turn a little further out in the intersection than you would when driving without a trailer, and on right-hand turns, stick to the far left side of your lane before making the right-hand turn.