In this blog post, we will answer the following question: Can you go faster than 55 with a UHaul trailer? We will explain why the speed limit for UHaul trailers is only 55 mph and also give you some advice for safe towing a trailer.

Can you go faster than 55 with a UHaul trailer?

You can’t and should not go faster than 55 mph with a UHaul trailer. You can go only 55 mph with a U-Haul trailer because these types of trailers do not have brakes. Stopping a trailer with so much weight would be more difficult if you exceed 55 mph!

When you have to drive with a trailer, you must respect the speed limit set by the trailer legislation.

Clearly, the speed in town should never exceed 30 mph.
On the other hand, it can reach 50 mph on expressways normally limited to 70 mph as well as on departmental and national roads.
On the motorway, you can drive up to 55 mph, but never more.

These UHaul trailer speed limit rules apply if the total weight does not exceed 12 tonnes. Beyond that, do not go faster than 40 mph on expressways.

Failure to comply with these speed limits with a hitch exposes the following points to loss:

1 point for exceeding the maximum authorized speed of less than 12 mph;
2 points for exceeding between 12 and 18 mph above the legal limit;
3 points when the excess is between 18 and 25 mph;
4 points when the vehicle is travelling between 25 and 30 mph faster than the maximum authorized speed.
When the excess is greater than 30 mph the driver is liable to a 5th class fine and a suspension of the driver’s license.

Precautions to take when towing a UHaul trailer

With a caravan or a UHaul trailer on a highway, take all the necessary precautions. Always keep in mind that you only use your caravan or trailer once or twice a year. Before embarking on a motorway trip, remember to check:

The general condition of the set. Check the tire pressure of your vehicle and those of your caravan or UHaul trailer (not forgetting the spare tire). Also remember to check the condition of the lights on your towbar (brake lights, fog lights, indicators) and make sure that its license plate is clearly visible.

Securing your load. What you carry in your trailer or caravan should be securely stowed and well distributed. The load on your towbar should not exceed more than three-quarters of the weight of the towing car, for better grip on the road.

Mirrors and braking system. Some caravans are equipped with their own braking system that allows them to either slow down or stop in the event of a broken coupling. Remember to check that these devices are working. Also check the condition of your additional mirrors, which are mandatory for caravans with a width greater than 2.10 meters.

Can I tow with a U haul trailer with a B licence?

Driving license B allows you to tow various types of trailers with your car without the need for additional licenses. The limitations, in this case, are centred on the maximum authorized weight for the trailer and on the maximum weight that can be reached by the assembly made up of this element and the towing vehicle.

There are two possibilities to tow a trailer with a driving license B:

The MAM of the trailer does not exceed 750 kgs;
The weight of the set (trailer+car) does not exceed 3500 kgs.

Thus, if we only have a type B driving license, we must bear in mind that we can only drive a tractor vehicle of those authorized by this type of permit and that pulls a trailer with a Maximum Authorized Mass of less than 750 kilograms as long as both are not allowed.

If, on the contrary, we want to tow a trailer of 750 kilograms of MAM or higher with our tourism, we will need the B + E permit that authorizes towing a trailer of up to 3,500 kilograms of MAM.

Travelling with a trailer is an extra risk when driving, so, in addition to taking extreme precautions when driving, you will have to take into account a series of precautions before starting your route. We refer to how to place luggage on a trailer.

Properly arranging the luggage on the trailer will help the weight distribution to be adequate; This is necessary if you want to avoid losing control of the vehicle more easily.

Thus, if it is important to distribute the majority of the weight in front of the trailer wheels; in this way, it is avoided that a sudden manoeuvre will compromise the control of the vehicle. If, on the contrary, Now, the bulk of the luggage is put behind the designated area, a simple hit could cause the car to lose control.

Driving advice with UHaul trailer on the motorway

Towing a UHaul trailer on the highway changes your handling and braking distances. Be sure to adopt the right reflexes:

Observe the speed limits. With a caravan or a highway trailer, your speed is limited to 90 km / h. Constantly adapt your speed, especially on descents.

Control your handling. The strong wind blowing when you are driving on the freeway can destabilize your vehicle as well as the hitch you are towing. Slow down and hold your steering wheel firmly with both hands.

Keep good safety distances. Did you know that the braking distance with a caravan of about 1000 kg is about 30% longer on dry ground and is doubled on wet ground. If your “vehicle + caravan or vehicle + trailer” set is greater than 7 meters, you must leave a space of at least 50 meters with the vehicle in front of you.

Riding on the right track. A reminder: on the motorway, we drive on the right! On a 3-lane motorway, with a caravan or a trailer, it is forbidden to drive on the leftmost lane. You are therefore allowed to overtake only through the middle lane.

Towing a UHaul trailer: specific manoeuvres

The longer the hitch, the more delicate the manoeuvres. It is imperative to consider the length of the trailer. This makes it easier to drive a hitched trailer in the following cases:

forward: allows you to approach a bend and an intersection with care,
reverse: the manoeuvre must be carried out delicately, knowing that it is going in the opposite direction to the orientation of the wheels.

Before leaving, make sure that the goods to be transported are properly secured and that the trailer is not overloaded.

For that you need :

Distribute the load evenly, starting at the trailer axles, in the event of multiple objects, the heaviest must be positioned in the centre of the trailer floor, use the straps and the trailer cover then block the attachments so that the goods do not spill onto the road.

To comply with trailer regulations, you must:

reduce speed on narrow roads, especially when crossing with another vehicle,
for any overrun:
properly assess your speed before overtaking a vehicle,
when overtaking, leave a sufficient lateral distance between the two vehicles,
take into account the length of the coupling before folding back into its travel lane in complete safety,
on descents: limit your speed and make maximum use of the efficiency of the engine brake for increased safety in the event of emergency braking and better stabilization of the coupling.

The bottom line

Towing a U-haul trailer is not as complicated as it may seem. In fact, renting a U-haul is one of the easiest parts, as the centre will help you with choosing the correct size of the U-haul trailer, depending on the maximum allowed weight of the camper and its MAM.

If you have any questions or comments on the content, please let us know.

FAQ on Can you go faster than 55 with a UHaul trailer?

How fast can you really go with a Uhaul trailer?

The fastest you can go with a U-Haul trailer is 55 mph.

Why can you only go 55 with a Uhaul trailer?

You can go only 55 mph with a U-Haul trailer because these types of trailers do not have brakes. Stopping a trailer with so much weight would be more difficult if you exceed 55 mph!

Are U-Haul trailer hitches good?

U-Haul trailer hitches are good and can be fitted for almost any type of car. These hitches are reliable and come at a good price.

Is U Haul the only company that rents trailers?

U-Haul is not the only company that rents trailers, but it is definitely one of the most popular. Other companies that rent trailers are Budget and Penske.

References

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Can you go faster than 55 with a UHaul trailer?