Thread: Trailer kills woman

What surprises me is a number of trailer manufacturers i have noticed only put one safety chain on new trailers. Surely this cant be ADR standard

Originally Posted by 3toes

Hired a number of trailers over the years. The standard of maintenance was at best poor.

One particular business we renamed as Wire Me trailers as none that we hired had working electrics. Fixed them all before setting off however I imagine most people would just plug them in and drive off without checking as you would expect it to work would you not.

No one at the trailer hire company was concerned when they were informed seemed to think we were attempting to touch them up for a discount on the hiring charge.

Send them a bill!

Originally Posted by Slunnie

The thing that really strikes me, is either the lack of appropriate tie down point on car trailers, and also the methods and straps that are used to hold vehicles in place. I'm surprised more vehicles dont fall off the trailers.

And most people just use the hand winch as a means to secure a large car. I've been behind another on the highway and the anoumt of bounce the trailered car has I was waiting for it to fall off.

Easo

I Also hire trailers a lot, and now only from the one place. I did try another hirer, and spent half an hour BEFORE setting off to pick up a 110 cutting off the almost worn through from dragging on the road 'safety' chain and welding on 2 new 10mm chains. I also had to provide my own shackles.
I also adjusted the brakes, and noticed 2 of the tyres were totally illegal

When I returned it to the place of rental, I was met with a 'call the owner and talk to him' attitude, which I did and explained that his trailer was in shocking condition and needed urgent maintenance etc. He said OK they'd look into it. 1 year on and it STILL has worn out tyres and the ramps aren't secured well etc etc , but at least my chains are still attached

JC

Originally Posted by bussy1963

What surprises me is a number of trailer manufacturers i have noticed only put one safety chain on new trailers. Surely this cant be ADR standard

Depends on the trailer mass - for small (not all that small either!) trailers I believe it is legal. See Vehicle Standards Bulletin - VSB 1 at
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Search Page

The safety chain(s) should be as short as practical so that they have the smallest possible shock load if the coupling does come off (and so they do not drag on the road).

In Dubbo a few years ago a caravan left the towing vehicle and demolished a phone box at the corner of Wheelers Lane and Cobborah Road. Fortunately it was empty at the time (The phone box I mean). It has not been replaced.

I know of at least two cases where the entire A-frame tow bar assembly has parted company on trailers, making safety chains not very helpful. In one case, the towing vehicle travelled about ten kilometres before realising he had lost the trailer (which was narrower than the towing vehicle), when the vacuum tank shook off the A-frame still attached to the truck, and started sucking air into the intake manifold.

John

My experiences of hiring car carrying trailers has not been good. Two in a row had lights out of action, illegal worn tyres, and one had a flat spare (bald) tyre for which the owner tried to charge me a puncture fee of $20 on returning the trailer. By this stage I was having one of my tact free days and the discussion standards deteriorated.

The next time I engaged the services of a hiring company who delivered the trailer to my place. Again, lights not fully operative, no fluid in the master cylinder for the over-ride brakes, two of four road tyres underinflated, two of the five worn to the point of illegality, the spare dangerously so. Carrying capacity of the passenger car tyres fitted inadequate for the capacity of the trailer.

I told the driver to take it back and bring one that checks out. He thought I was being a bit picky, "It's just a trailer, not a Rolls Royce". Reversing the Eftpos charge by mobile 'phone changed his attitude quickly.

I wonder what would happen if next time you hire a trailer you took it to the RTA for a safety inspection?

Would they defect the trailer on the spot?

I can bet the trailer company would still charge you for the time the trailer was defected at the RTA.

Diana

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

I wonder what would happen if next time you hire a trailer you took it to the RTA for a safety inspection?

Would they defect the trailer on the spot?

I can bet the trailer company would still charge you for the time the trailer was defected at the RTA.

Diana

Actually ... I believe the law makes you .. the driver of the vehicle ... responsible for the condition of the trailer

So if you use a defective trailer & it causes grief through bald tyres / no brakes / faulty lights ... Then there is a huge possibility that your insurance company will not cover any damage in the event of a accident

So in short .... You cannot tow a trailer that is defective ... as you will be charged with negligence causing grievous bodily harm or even death .... in the event of a accident

But more importantly .... You do not use it, because you could not live with the consequences of your actions

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

Actually ... I believe the law makes you .. the driver of the vehicle ... responsible for the condition of the trailer ...<snip>

Yes, you're correct Mike. However there is a legal requirement for the Hire Company to supply a trailer fit for the purpose of the hire. Which means that you don't have to receive a trailer in un-roadworthy condition and why your inspection of the trailer before the hire is sooooo important.

Diana