Stacey’s story is not unique. Every
weekend we can see thousands of
cars and floats on the road and many
drivers of these vehicles would be
in the same position as Stacey if
an accident came about. Vehicles
towing floats and trailers are pulled
over by police all around the country
and drivers often fined. Those who
haul horses must be aware of legal,
insurance and warranty implications
if an accident was to happen.
Let’s face it there are many of us
horse people that are totally ignorant
when it comes to legal and safe
towing of floats and goosenecks. It
sounds complicated? And, that is
because it is. There is no way that it
can be simplified, but we can look at
the pitfalls and perhaps see how we
can be legal and safe. Laws vary from
state to state and from vehicle to
vehicle. We must consider what these
State Laws are, not only in our own
state, but also in others, as we will
cross borders on occasions. So what
do you need to know?
Vehicles, trailers including floats and
goosenecks must meet registration
standards and be roadworthy. This
means that tyres, lights, etc., must
be roadworthy as well. All trailers
must have their rear number plate
and a registration label. The coupling
and towbar must not obscure the
number plate or lights on the rear of
the towing vehicle when no trailer is
attached. Nobody is allowed to ride
in registered floats or caravans. The
reader has, like some others, broken
this rule when travelling with an
injured horse that was slung in the
float, or a nervous youngster that
may not have been educated to being
tied, but it is against the law.
It is essential that the vehicle towing
the float or gooseneck is capable of
doing so and be legal. Allowances
must be made for the possibility of
increasing the load in the float. A
pony owner may upgrade to a horse,
a second animal may be added to
the one-horse-owner at the time
of vehicle or float purchase, and a
mare may have a big foal at foot.
Consideration must be made for an
emergency trip to the Veterinary
Hospitals in the case of a serious
colic etc. with perhaps a horse
that is not usually transported to
shows. The average horse weighs
from 380kg to 550kg and this does
vary with height, condition and
breed. The safest way is to weigh
the horse and sadly they don’t fit
on the bathroom scales. There are
girth tape measures to estimate,
but they cannot be guaranteed as
accurate. The most reliable is a
weighbridge. The opportunity can be
taken to weigh the float or gooseneck
when it is not loaded to obtain an
accurate Tare Weight. That may not
be necessary if that information is
already on hand. Reliable float and
trailer manufacturers will provide a
client with not only the Tare Weight,
but also any additional information
that is requested.
All new trailers (including those that
are home or individually built since
August 1999 are required to have a
plate listing, amongst other things,
the Aggregate Trailer Mass, although
some plates will also show the Tare
Weight and the GTM. Trailers and
floats built before August 1999 with
no plate documentation, determining
specifications can be difficult and
you may need to seek professional
assistance from a reputable trailer
manufacturer or engineer. It is
important that we seek advice from
experts or experienced tradesmen
and not take the well-meaning advice
of friends. That is not to say that we
don’t take advice from others, but
in the interests of us failing to abide
by towing regulations, including
maximum loads, etc. in the case of
an accident, refusal of an insurance
claim, and the possibility of further
legal action, it is safer to make sure
that any advice we may seek puts us
on the safe side. If on the other hand
we are pulled over by the police we
can’t use the excuse that a mate told
us that we are O.K. when it comes to
legal requirements.
If we have the Tare Weight
information we may also have the
GTM (the weight of the trailer fully
loaded imposed on the trailer’s axle
when it is coupled to the towing
vehicle), but if not, or to be sure that
you are legal a trip to the weight
plate can be made when the float
is actually loaded with two ܜ