Whilst a heatwave can be extremely troublesome for your trailer if you have not bought the right model and prepared yourself as much as you can for the elements, the weather following a period of extreme heat can be particularly troublesome.
Some of these issues can be fixed by choosing the right model from a local, trusted, official distributor of Ifor Williams trailers, as they can point you in the right direction, answer any questions you may have and even provide essential summer servicing and advice.
If you have the time to plan, then you can typically weatherproof your trailer, regardless of whether it is a HBX horsebox, a Beavertail trailer or anything in between. But what happens if you do not have any advance warning?
Extreme weather phenomena can often lead to other types of extreme weather, and the end of a heatwave is often followed by sudden thunderstorms and flash flooding, as well as strong winds and sudden drops in temperature that can affect the ride of your trailer.
Proaction is better than reaction, but if your only choice is to react, here are some top tips to keep yourself safe when the conditions suddenly turn harsh but are unavoidable.
Should You Stop To Inspect Your Trailer?
Bad weather exploits the weaknesses of your towing setup, from a trailer’s brakes to its connection to your towing vehicle, so if the weather suddenly gets out of control whilst you are on the road, look for somewhere where you can safely stop and have a look at it.
Specifically, make sure that the hitch is secure, all of the electrical links between trailer and towing vehicle are securely in place and that your tyres, brakes and lights are all functioning properly.
In extreme weather, be it extreme heat, thunderstorms or a series of adverse environments, the tolerances for your trailer setup will be reduced, and small problems can become huge if you do not prepare.
Stopping also gives you a chance to check the weather forecast. If it appears like the storm is only temporary, it may save you time, money and stress waiting for the bad weather to be more manageable before continuing your journey, especially with live cargo.
Should You Slow Down In Extreme Weather?
The most important tip when driving in extreme weather conditions is to reduce your speed considerably, whether you are dealing with a heatwave or the rain that often arrives in its aftermath.
The faster you go, the longer it takes to slow down, and both your thinking and braking distances are significantly increased when driving in adverse weather or at night.
Ultimately, slowing down to save driving speeds is by far the fastest way to travel in adverse weather. It is far better to take your time and ensure your load gets to your destination in the best possible condition than risk not making it at all.
Should You Avoid Sharp Turns In Extreme Weather?
When you are towing a trailer, you should adopt an anticipatory, defensive driving style regardless of the conditions, but it is especially important during very hot, very cold, very wet and very windy weather to avoid any reflexive actions or sharp turns as much as possible.
Avoid emergency braking situations unless they are unavoidable, do not put your foot down to accelerate from a standstill and avoid sudden swerves to change lanes or make harder turns.
All of these manoeuvres risk jackknifing the trailer at the best of times, but with less traction due to ice, snow, wet tarmac or issues caused by extreme heat, they can potentially lead to accidents.
Do You Need To Use Your Lights And Indicators More In Extreme Weather?
Whether due to heat haze, fog, snow or rain showers, your visibility is naturally significantly worse in poor weather, which means that you need to be as clear as possible when it comes to your position relative to other road users.
Make sure your lights and indicators work on the back of your trailer and turn on your fog lights to ensure other drivers can see you as clearly as possible.
Indicate a lane change or turn as soon as you can, as this will give other motorists a chance to see you and react accordingly.
Keep in mind that even if you have a relatively visible trailer, drivers will work on where your lights are to determine your road position and whether it is safe to change lanes or overtake, so make yourself as easy to see as possible.