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Driving a car that is in tow is very different from casual driving. If you’ve driven a vehicle towing another vehicle, driving might go easy but if not, then might just have to adjust. If it’s your first, reading a couple of materials about car towing will help you big time. Of course, preparation is the key. You may even install tow mirrors that give the driver a better view of the road as a preparation. It is also a good thing to be familiar with the dimensions of the cargo and equipment you are towing. It also helps to calculate the total height and width of the towed vehicle and the lead car or trailer. The gross combination of the total weight of both vehicles along with passengers, fuel tanks, and others should also be considered. The various state guidelines about towing vehicles should also be taken into consideration for safe towing.
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Car towing regulations differ from state to state. Whether you are towing a car across the southern part of the U.S. or its urban cities, it is best to know what are the restrictions imposed in each state. There are some states that undertake strict precaution against road accidents. This is why you may come across different regulations from state to state whenever you are towing a car or trailer to another place. Most states, for example, may require that the trailer that’s towing a car should have breakaway brakes. These brakes are electronic-based that are triggered whenever the car in tow is suddenly detached. Breakaway brakes operate in a way that they lock the brakes (for 15 minutes) of the vehicle once it is detached. It is quite understandable why a majority of the states in America require this safety feature during transit. Not installing breakaway brakes could put you in a terrible position once the car is detached. Breakaway brakes are one of the state regulations for road safety. There are other requirements and restrictions imposed. There are a lot of states that specify the maximum trailer height of 14 feet while others only impose 13.5 feet. For example, you may just get a citation if you are travelling through Georgia with a trailer that’s 14-feet high. In all cases, it may just be safe to use a trailer that meets the strictest standards which holds true for the height, width, and protection of the vehicle. Familiarizing yourself with the various driving restrictions in various states will also help when towing your vehicle or truck. The posted speed limit found in many states is usually the maximum speed for the vehicle with another vehicle in tow. In some states, it will depend on the trailer’s towing weight. There are also some states that require different classes of licenses for drivers. This may, of course, require you to take additional test via the motor vehicles department of your respective state. You can search for U.S. state towing laws for all states using your favourite search engine.
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Let’s say you are driving with a car towed behind your SUV or truck and suddenly the car became detached and careened through traffic. Accidents like this can happen even though you thought you’ve made all the necessary precaution. Now you’re asking whether your insurance can cover the damage in your car and other expenses. Some experts recommend calling your particular insurance agent before you start towing regardless if you were towing your boat, lawn equipment, or simply your car. You may just want to know if towing-related accident is covered. While car insurance policies differ by state and company, there are some rules in terms of applying insurance in towing damages. First, in case of accidents where the car in tow is detached, there is likely to have two claims – collision claim damage reparation and the liability claim. The first one concerns the collision insurance policy on the car that’s being towed. There are actually no insurance policies that extend to the towed car which means you will have to keep two policies for both vehicles. The liability claim will be on the car that was hit by your towed car. In other words, the bystander whose vehicle was hit by the towed car will make the claim. But if you want to avoid raising your insurance costs, you should avoid towing a car without proper coverage. Don’t assume everything will go well. For all you know, there might be surprises on the road which prelude to an accident. Make sure you contact your insurance company first before you start towing anything. This is also good preparation for your safety.
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