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Safe Trailering

Author(s): Garcia, Taub

Slidedeck Presentation Only (no paper submitted):

7C - Garcia

Abstract:

As trailers remain one of the most popular and cost-effective ways for individuals, families, and businesses to move their belongings, the towing activities of North Americans are becoming increasingly broad and the need for safe towing education has increased accordingly. While serving the Canadian DIY moving public for over 60 years, U-Haul and its team of experts has developed the Safe Trailering program to provide practical driving, trailering and towing information and experiences. The primary objective of the Safe Trailering initiative is providing education to the Canadian and North American public to prevent injuries, hazards, and fatalities on our roadways. While very few other organizations offer any type of formal 'safe towing' education, the Safe Trailering program is filling the void and delivering this important education to prevent the preventable. In conjunction with the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA), U-Haul developed a Safe Trailering curriculum, which is adapted and distributed to a wide variety of audiences. The Safe Trailering program is customizable to varying audiences and can be specifically catered to student safety organizations, motor vehicle safety officials, the law enforcement community, driver's education professionals, and the general public. Through development of strategic partnerships, more people will receive this safety education, and highways across North America will be safer for everyone. The Safe Trailering program consists of a handful of different resources and experiences, all delivered through a variety of mediums. For presenting at the CARSP conference, attended by Canada's road safety professionals, the Safe Trailering curriculum is best conveyed through a 'workshop' type presentation. The Safe Trailering team conducts these workshops using a slide presentation, video supplements, handout material, and the Trailer Demonstrator (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWd8ml9mFMo). The Trailer Demonstrator remains one of the most effective tools for safe towing education. As evidenced by a video which went viral (over 30 million views in a week,) in under a minute, the hands-on Trailer Demonstrator conveys the importance of cargo loading in relation to speed and handling and does so in an extremely visual manner that sticks with the viewer. In addition to presenting the Demonstrator during a specific workshop at the CARSP Conference, U-Haul would be interested in reserving a booth space as well to display it during the rest of the event for those who were not able to attend the workshop itself. If space permits, the program can also include a hands on Safe Trailering 'rodeo' in an adjacent parking lot. The lessons learned from the presentation on Safe Trailering will provide the information necessary to prevent catastrophic accidents due to improper towing. The lesson encompass a systems overview of the driver, tow vehicle, hitch mechanism, and trailer, along with proper loading practices and car-trailer operation guidelines. As evidenced by our success at other road safety events and conferences, we are able to see the general need for this information and as towing industry leaders, feel responsible to provide this invaluable, and lifesaving education.