Texas Towing and Trailer Laws

In Texas, drivers and equipment owners must follow special state laws for towing trailers. Incorrect towing can result in a ticket for a traffic violation and it may cause a serious accident. Texas has specific regulations when it comes to trailer dimensions, lights and reflectors, safety chains, and speed limits when towing. Our San Antonio truck accident attorney can help if you’ve been injured in a towing or trailer accident.

Maximum Trailer Dimensions

Towed trailers in Texas cannot exceed certain maximum dimensions for safety reasons. While there are no length limits on trailers themselves, there is a 65-foot maximum length on all trailers combined with the towing vehicles. The height of a trailer cannot exceed 14 feet, while width cannot exceed 102 inches (excluding mirrors).

Weight Limit Per Trailer Type

Trailer owners have a legal responsibility to use the correct equipment based on what is being towed and the vehicle doing the towing. The Texas Department of Insurance has a breakdown of how much weight each type of vehicle can safely pull, as well as the proper type of trailer for different purposes. A motorcycle trailer can carry an average load of 1,900 pounds, for example, while a vehicle tow dolly can carry a load of around 3,400 pounds. Overloading a trailer is a type of negligence that increases the odds of dangerous equipment failures and lost loads.

Trailer Hitch Laws

Incorrectly hitching a trailer to a vehicle can also lead to major accidents. In Texas, the connection between a vehicle doing the towing and a trailer must be of adequate strength to hold all of the weight towed without issue. The towing mechanism cannot create more than 15 feet of distance between the vehicle and the trailer, except when towing objects that are longer than this that cannot be taken apart.

Equipment Requirements

All towed trailers in Texas must have safety chains. The chains must be of a type approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety. They must be crisscrossed and attached in the correct manner according to the trailer and the vehicle being used to tow the trailer. The safety chain should be capable of holding the full weight of the trailer should the hitch fail. Trailers are also required to have proper lighting. Any trailer that’s at least 80 inches wide must have two clearance lamps on the front and rear, four side marker lamps, hazard lights, and four reflectors. Any trailer that’s 30 feet or longer must also have two side marker lamps, two reflectors and hazard lamps.

Speed Limits

The speed limit of a towing vehicle must match the limits posted in the area. At night, however, interstate speeds drop from 70 miles per hour (mph) to 65 mph for a vehicle towing a trailer. A fifth-wheel trailer has a lower highway speed limit of 60 mph in the daytime and 55 mph at night. Drivers are expected to drive at speeds that are “reasonable and prudent” based on the conditions.

Injured in an Accident Involving a Towed Trailer? Get Help From a Texas Attorney

If a driver or vehicle owner in Texas fails to fulfill the state’s towing safety requirements and trailer laws, this increases the odds of a serious accident involving the trailer. When a crash occurs, those impacted have the right to seek financial compensation from the person who negligently failed to ensure the safety of the trailer. If you get hurt in an accident involving a vehicle that was towing a trailer, contact a car accident lawyer at The Law Offices of Maloney & Campolo for a free review of your legal rights. We can help you understand your options and decide what to do next.