Obviously, the most important consideration when loading a trailer is safety.
Using a vehicle in a dangerous condition can incur penalties including points on your licence, fines, or even a ban, so it’s worth making sure that you fulfil the requirement to maintain the vehicle in a fit and serviceable condition.
However, for peace of mind, there are a few checks you can carry out to make sure you have loaded the trailer properly and are towing it legally and safely.
Firstly, it’s important to know the nose weight limit of your towing vehicle (also known as its maximum vertical load) so that you don’t exceed it. The nose weight limit refers to the maximum vertical pressure that can be put on the towbar and should be found in the vehicle owner’s handbook.
Remaining within the nose weight limit is important to maintaining driving stability for both vehicle and trailer.
The load itself should be distributed evenly across the trailer, paying attention to the nose weight and keeping within the recommended limit. Nevertheless, sometimes loads can be uneven, in which case make sure that the individual axles or wheels are not overloaded.
Clearly, loads must be adequately restrained and/or tied down and cannot stick out or project from the trailer in any way that may cause a danger to others using the road.
So, when loading a trailer, always remember the four basic checks: nose weight, weight distribution, balance, and securely restrained loads.
