How To Tow A Boat Safely

South Carolina’s water recreation season is in full swing.  Only a small fraction of the boat owners who take their boats out on South Carolina’s lakes and rivers or the parts of the Atlantic Ocean that border South Carolina own waterfront property.  Many of them keep their boats in the garage or yard in the winter and then spend the warmer months traveling around from one body of water to another for recreational activities like fishing, water skiing, or just enjoying the fresh air.  Trucks towing boats are a common sight on South Carolina’s highways and major roads in the spring and summer.  Driving a truck with a boat attached to it is a very different experience from driving the same truck when it is not towing another vehicle.  Not only is there a greater risk of accidents when a truck is towing a boat, but the accidents tend to cause more serious injuries than accidents involving a similar truck without a boat.  If you have been injured in an accident involving a passenger vehicle towing a boat, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

Tips for Towing a Boat With Your Truck

Driving your truck with a boat attached to the back requires even more caution than it takes to drive a pickup truck or other passenger truck by itself.  These are some things to consider when towing a boat:

• Keep in mind the gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of your truck.  This is the combined weight of the truck, the boat, the passengers, and any cargo; in other words, it is the maximum weight your truck can carry.  If you are embarking on a boating and camping trip with your family, it could mean that you should tow the boat with your truck, while another family member in another vehicle brings the camping equipment.  Check your truck manufacturer’s website to find out the GCWR of your truck.
• It takes longer to accelerate, slow down, and turn while trailering your boat.  Before you embark on a road trip with your boat, especially for the first time, you should practice these maneuvers in a parking lot or other area where there is little or no traffic.
• Be sure that the trailer is attached securely to the truck before you depart.  Set the ball joint lower than the hitch and then reverse tow until both parts are level.  Then lower the hitch and fasten the security clasp.  To ensure that the trailer stays connected, secure the hitch with safety chains.
• Distracted driving is dangerous, no matter the size of your vehicle, but driving a truck with a boat attached to it requires even more conversation.  Do not eat while driving when you are towing your boat.

Let Us Help You Today

The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you if you suffered serious injuries in an accident involving a truck that was towing a boat.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Sources:

longshoreboats.com/blog/how-to-trailer-a-boat–25131

wyff4.com/article/deadly-crash-abbeville-truck-hauling-boat/41901243