Updated on: 2/26/2019
Each year there are people tragically killed in highway accidents involving a passenger vehicle towing a boat , horse trailer, U-Haul moving trailer, or other utility trailer.
These trailer collisions often occur when trailers that are improperly secured break loose and then travel untethered into highway traffic. This kind of accident is more prevalent during the summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day during the peak of moving and recreational boating seasons.
Some states are now passing laws that require that any vehicle towing another vehicle or trailer have a trailer hitch or similar device strong enough for the weight of the vehicle or trailer being towed.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, regulations on passenger vehicles towing trailers vary widely from state to state. Statistics show that from 1975 through 2008, 15,211 people were killed in crashes involving passenger vehicles towing trailers. The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers’ 750 member companies make up about 75 percent of trailers sold in the USA.
If you have been injured in a trucking accident caused by an unhitched trailer, contact Seattle attorney Chris Davis for a FREE consultation concerning your legal rights.