What is the purpose of safety chains on a trailer?

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asked Dec 27, 2020 in Safety by subcook24John (710 points)
What is the purpose of safety chains on a trailer?

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answered Dec 27, 2020 by Shawn (99,990 points)
The purpose of safety chains on a trailer is to catch the trailer and keep the trailer attached to the tow vehicle should the trailer become unhitched from the tow vehicle.

If you tow a trailer without safety chains and the trailer does become unhitched and you're going down the highway then the trailer becomes a deadly uncontrolled vehicle.

That trailer can then go into oncoming traffic and cause injury or death to people or someone in another vehicle.

Safety chains are required for safety of the people around you and to keep your trailer controlled.

You also should have a safety brake as well on the trailer and make sure you use the correct hitch ball size and make sure the coupler is latched securely to the hitch ball and that the pins are all in place.

Also make sure the chains are not too long and keep the safety chains as short as possible but with enough slack to allow the turning of the trailer and vehicle.

And also cross the safety chains in and X pattern because that allows the chains to take hold of the coupler and keep it from dragging on the ground.

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