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Updated: July 8th, 2008 05:26 PM GMT-05:00

Safety in Tow

Tips for avoiding common mistakes when using or renting trailers

By Rebecca Kanable

You’ve got a million things on your mind. The weather is about to turn ugly. You want to hurry up and get to the jobsite and finish your work so you can go home and watch the game on TV. While you know safety is important, it’s not on the top of your mind right now. But, it should be. Safety should always be a priority - for you and your customers.

When accidents or problems occur, they usually are the result of someone being in a hurry, says John DeGeorge, national sales manager for Eager Beaver Trailers. Typically, he says no one intends to ignore safety and get reckless with a trailer.

"Drivers are professionals - they understand that if they make a mistake, not only could they get hurt, but they could hurt somebody else," DeGeorge says. "All it takes is a piece of equipment to come off and go through someone’s window ... and the car goes off the road."

If you ignore safety, Gary Knudsen, sales representative for Towmaster Trailers Inc., says, "You might think you’re getting by, but there’s always a consequence."

Keeping safety in mind, you and your customers can avoid mistakes. One way to do this is by going through a mental checklist or even checking off a list on paper. There are many precautions that need to be taken.

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