O/T Safety chains...........

Goose · Oct 19, 2010

Yesterday afternoon, a local gal was towing a bumper hitch horse trailer with a pickup when the trailer detached from the pickup. An oncoming car hit the trailer and a 10 year old girl was killed. Her brother is in critical condition.

Both kids were thrown from the car. Apparently they were still wearing their backpacks from school and weren't buckled in. However, that's secondary to the fact that the trailer had no safety chains. I thought it was the law that all trailers on the road have safety chains, but my wife says during the course of the morning she's talked to several people who say they've bought new horse trailers that did not have safety chains.

Does anyone know for sure? This is a heck of a heads up for both safety chains and buckling in.
I hope the gal driving the pickup has good insurance. Actually, I know her personally.

old · Oct 19, 2010

Yep only trailers on the road that do not by law need safety chains are the 5th wheel type ALL others need them but that does not mean when new that they come with them but yes they should. I would hate to be the person who was pulling that trailer there in for a world of hurt very soon if they are not already in it

Paul in MN · Oct 19, 2010

Safety Chains, YES. And the strength of those chains is defined by federal DOT law. Many trailer manufacturers provide safety chains, but they do not meet the recently updated regulations re strength.

Now the next legal issue is WHY did the trailer not have a break away system that locks the brakes? Did the trailer manufacturer not include this in their design, or did the trailer dealer not provide the battery needed by the system, or did the operator not hook up the slack cable correctly to the tow vehicle.

Children are dead, families are badly hurting, and the lawyers are going to get rich over this one. Disgusting!!

Paul in MN

just another old geezer · Oct 19, 2010

safty chins are a state to state regulation. I beleve there is even one or two states out west where they are illeagle. What state did this happen in and what are that states regulations????

36 Coupe · Oct 19, 2010

I built a utility trailer in 1965.I put safety chains on it before it went on the highway.Who is fool enough to run with out them.A trailer got loose on the interstate here the draw bar went thru the windshield of an oncoming car and killer the driver.Trailer made it across the median.It was tail heavy, so bounced off the ball hitch.I managed to break a hitch ball towing my sons truck out of a ditch.

PeterE · Oct 19, 2010

The news article claims that chains were used. Not sure about the brakes, although if the trailer just stopped in the middle of the road that's no good either.
newspaper story

Goose · Oct 19, 2010

The article says "Preliminary investigation indicates chains were in use". That's not 100% certain. If the chains were hooked up, why didn't they do what they were supposed to?

kyhayman · Oct 19, 2010

Its a tragedy for all involved certainly. My gut instinct is, if they didnt have adequate safety chains they probably also lack adequate limits to liability insurance. Which then begs the concern, do they have assets that would be worth pursuing beyond what their limits of liability are.

Thats an additional lesson for all of us that tow, haul, or otherwise move stuff. Are your auto insurance limits adequate for your potential exposure to liability. I know here the minimum limits are 25000 per person and 50000 per accident. Hardly adequate for multiple fatalities. Of course, if you happen to be judgement proof thats all well and good. Most of us arent when facing those limits. High limits with a good driving record cost very little more.

chevytaHOE5674 · Oct 19, 2010

Could also be the case that the proper chains were used and they just broke. I've seen plenty of chains break well below their rated capacity. Somethings things fail.

As for brakes it changes state by state what the trailer needs for brakes and break-aways based on trailer GVW and their classification(RV, utility,commercial) etc.

Mike (WA) · Oct 19, 2010

The safety chains on my flatbed trailer are obviously too light to be of any use, and I've always said "I need to do something about that"- after your "wake up post", believe I'll go home and remedy that situation.

Horse trailer owner will probably skate on this one- cause of death was being ejected from the car, and "but for" the failure of the kids to be buckled in, they would not have died. Trailer owner needs to tender defense of this to her insurance carrier, pronto- before evidence is destroyed.

Fawteen · Oct 19, 2010

Am I the only one here that wonders WHY the children weren't properly belted in? That's a serious offense in Maine.

Fawteen · Oct 19, 2010

And no, it is NOT secondary. Safety of the children is paramount and the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle with the children in it.

Yes, the trailer should have had chains and the driver of that vehicle is negligent as well, but the driver of the vehicle with children should be in VERY deep doo-doo as well.

tlak · Oct 19, 2010

chains
state by state

Geo-TH,In · Oct 19, 2010

I just replaced the battery on my trailer. How many people check to see if the battery for the electric brakes is good?

Haywood · Oct 19, 2010

I agree on the seatbelt deal...what is not to understand about the law.

Chains are required and must cross to form a bridle!
Fed law on Towing safety chains

Bret4207 · Oct 19, 2010

The law can say whatever it wants, it's still up to people to get their heads out of their backsides and use them!

Mark - IN. · Oct 19, 2010

Horse trailer on a bumper hitch? Feeling lucky, or what? 1/2 ton pickup too? The correct way to mount a ball to a bumper hitch is upside down so no one tries to use it or gets killed because someone did.

Mark

Mark - IN. · Oct 19, 2010

Sad story. Good Lord. Nobody, especially an innocent little kid minding his, her, their own business in their own little protected and hopefully happy world. Good Lord that's a sad story.

Mark

Aaron Ford · Oct 19, 2010

Thanks for the post. I have had this discussion many times with my 8 and 9YO. They have battled me in the past about seat belts, but the car doesn't move til they are on. This was a good eye opener for them. I have been a believer since 1987.

Aaron

kyplowboy · Oct 19, 2010

Yep, and those insurance add that are always brag'n bout state minimum insurance are aimed towards the folks who don't have any thing worth come'n after.

Dave

mikeinNE · Oct 19, 2010

The trailer did have safety chains and they were attached to the truck. It"s still under investigation.

Leroy · Oct 19, 2010

Probably because they were made before that was ever thought of. None of my trailers were made with that.

john in la · Oct 19, 2010

I have seen many trailers sold that do not meet federal law.

I do not have time to look it up right now but...
Federal law states it is the buyers responsibility to make sure the trailer meets federal law (chains; brakes) not the sellers.

Elvin Frank · Oct 19, 2010

I have a truck with a reciever hitch rated for 5000 pounds, the bumper on the truck is rated for 8000 pounds, nothing wrong with pulling off a bumper when the bumber is designed to be used that way and is not over loaded.

Goose · Oct 19, 2010

Since I posted this, I found out the trailer did have chains. The question a number of us were debating this evening is, if the chains were hooked up properly, how did the trailer get loose?

Inno · Oct 19, 2010

Unfortunate turn of events. Yes, the person pulling that trailer is at fault and would be found so regardless of whether or not anyone was killed. But I can not imagine a parent that careless or stupid that they would not ensure their children were buckled up before putting the vehicle in gear. I have NEVER moved any vehicle as much as an inch with my son in it without my son being buckled up. Poor kids paid the ultimate price because of a parents stupidity, plain and simple. $hit happens, that is why you wear your damn seatbelt !

Anonymous-0 · Oct 19, 2010

I've seen several trailers with safety chains that wouldn't hold 500 lbs. The worst I saw was a trailer made by a specialty trailer manufacturer. I watched a guy put the trailer on the ball but the ball was too small so he pulled the trailer about 20ft.(at 2 mph) up to the shop door to put a bigger ball on. The trailer came off the ball and the welded bracket the safety chains were attached to broke right off! The trailer wasn't even loaded and like I said, it was moved about 20ft. at 2 MPH. I guess the trailer place never figured the safety chains would ever need to be used. Dave

Goose · Oct 19, 2010

I fixed a C60 Chevy farm truck several years ago where the guy was towing a 4020 John Deere on a flatbed behind the truck. Something broke in the pintle hitch, and the trailer dropped into the safety chains and started swinging. The driver lost it, and whole works wound up on its side in the right hand ditch.

Even if the outcome wasn't the most desirable, the chains did what they were supposed to and kept the trailer out of oncoming traffic.

(We had to go to Grand Island, NE to find a frame rack big enough to square up the frame of the truck. The rest was simple body and paint work. Farm trucks are fun to work on, but your legs get tired from climbing and unclimbing on them.)

tjdub · Oct 20, 2010

> The question a number of us were debating this evening is, if the chains were hooked up properly, how did the trailer get loose?

Unfortunately, that's an easy question. The chains and the ball are all attached to the frame of the truck by 4 little bolts. Sometimes they break, sometimes they come loose. All the hitch manufacturers tell you you're supposed to check that the bolts tight regularly, but who does?

chevytaHOE5674 · Oct 20, 2010

(quoted from post at 20:26:59 10/19/10) The question a number of us were debating this evening is, if the chains were hooked up properly, how did the trailer get loose?

Chains break, bolts come loose, welds break, etc...

JML755 · Oct 20, 2010

(quoted from post at 19:54:35 10/19/10) I just replaced the battery on my trailer. How many people check to see if the battery for the electric brakes is good?

I do. I just replaced mine after 6 yrs. Pretty cheap peace of mind. Regarding trailer safety: I have seen lots of trailer brake cables that are attached to the safety chain. Not sure what good that does if the chain fails or comes off. I use a spring clip that attaches to the hitch separately from the chain.

Funny thing about trailer brakes: When I bought/installed my brake controller a while back, I used the GM OEM connector under the dash. Recently I noticed "n/c" (not connected) flicker on the display. Since it's not in one's line of sight, don't know how long this has been happening. Checked all the wiring and everything was ok. finally traced it to the GM connector that appears to have a looser fit than the one that came with the controller. :shock: Buddy of mine noticed the same thing on his Chevy p/u and found the connector to be a loose fit as well. Guess what I'll be changing this weekend. :roll:

Mark - IN. · Oct 20, 2010

You would be one of the few. From my experience, most have a tongue weight of 350 pounds or less and a pull weight of far less than that. Your bumper come on your vehicle off of the assembly line and sold that way on the dealer lot? None of mine ever did, and thats why I go for after market Class III or IV frame hitches depending on the pickup.

Mark

sgtbull · Oct 20, 2010

Those are Federal motor carrier safety laws and apply only to commercial motor vehicles.

Paul Shuler · Oct 20, 2010

We had a case here in Springfield MO last Friday where a trailer came loose on an overpass of a major hi way and killed a man on a motorcycle and crashed up a number of cars. Don't know any details other than that though.

O/T Safety chains...........

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