SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A Shreveport man was killed Monday evening after a trailer unhitched from another vehicle crossed the roadway and struck his car head-on.
Hundreds of people are killed and thousands more are injured by loose trailers, those that “run away”, or are improperly hitched to passenger vehicles yearly, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Drivers who tow not only have to consider trailer size and proper connection but also be aware of the conditions of the roadways they travel on.
Quality Outdoor Superstore General Manager, Scott Goldstein said Shreveport is known for having many potholes and if a trailer is not hooked up properly the repercussions could be deadly.
Goldstein said it takes only two minutes to attach a trailer to the vehicle to keep you and others on the road safe.
“There are four safety measures when it comes to the trailer hooked to the vehicle and if it did come off the ball – you have chains, you have emergency breaks, you have a ton of safety features already in place to keep you and everybody else safe,” Goldstein said.
He said at Quality Outdoor they teach people who tow trailers how to install the trailer properly but it is the driver’s responsibility to check their equipment and to make the necessary adjustments while driving.
“If someone else is hooking up to your vehicle it’s always the driver’s responsibility to make sure it’s hooked up properly,” Goldstein said.
Goldstein emphasized that drivers ensure the chains are connected to the vehicle as the last resort to prevent the trailer from unhitching. If the pin comes undone, the chains will keep the trailer connected, and ensure your lights are on so the driver behind you can see when you brake.
“You have to have the right size ball, make sure the pin is in if you don’t have a pin, get a bolt, nut – anything you can to make sure the latch doesn’t pop off. And then use your chains properly,” Goldstein said.
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