Colorado State Patrol is offering towing tip reminders to help drivers avoid ‘trailer sway’

COLORADO, USA (KRDO) – With summer time just around the corner, Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is sending out reminders for drivers and recreationalists to load their trailers properly. 

CSP states one of the biggest errors people can make is not paying enough attention to the weight distribution of what they are towing. 

Major Brett Williams, District 5 Commander of the CSP, states, "You want to see a flat plane between your vehicle and your trailer or camper. If you see what your towing is tipping forward, toward the hitch or back away from the hitch, this indicates less traction and more swaying.” 

Trailer sway, CSP describes, can be deadly, and ensuring a vehicle is hitched safely is key to avoiding it. 

Motorists should have more weight placed before the axle, or closer to the vehicle in front of the trailer’s wheels. CSP states front loading helps to evenly distribute the weight between the two vehicles and whatever is being towed. 

Always ensure your vehicle is hitched correctly, with the hitch on, locked in, and make sure the cables are working properly. 

CSP states the driver should also check visibility through their side mirrors to ensure they can see all the way to the rear of the trailer or camper. 

For drivers pulling a camper, heavier items should be placed lower to the ground, meaning only light things should go in the overhead cabinet to help keep a lower center of gravity. 

Finally, CSP is reminding drivers that the bigger the trailer, the more sensitive it is to wind, and the faster you go, the more likely you will have trailer sway. Drivers should be prepared to drive slower and allow other vehicles to pass. 

For more information on how to properly load your trailer, click the link here to watch a helpful video provided by Corporal Lewis.