If you are moving across the country and need to pull your car on a rented automotive trailer for the first time, then it is important for you to follow these towing do's and don'ts to keep yourself and others safe on the highway:

Do take extra care when you are passing other vehicles on the highway and allow extra room between you and other vehicles when you change lanes.

Don't forget to use your turn signals well before you need to turn to alert other drivers of your intentions. If you are driving slowly on the highway, you should also use your hazard lights to alert other drivers that you are moving slower than the rest of the flow of traffic.

Do make wider turns so that your trailer's wheels do not come into contact with curbs or other vehicles. Even if your tow vehicle has a very tight turn radius, turning with a trailer requires a much larger arc so that the tires of your car trailer will not hit other vehicles or curbs.

Don't tailgate other cars on the road so that you will not need to stop short. Quick or abrupt stopping can cause the car hauler to jackknife and damage both your towing vehicle and the car that is being towed.

Do always use a minimum of two safety chains when you are pulling your car on a rented trailer. The safety chains are an essential safety feature in the case that your trailer hitch ball breaks or the trailer becomes detached from it. You should cross the chains in an "X" pattern under the trailer hitch so that if your trailer hitch comes disconnected, the trailer will land on the chains and allow you time to pull over and stop.

Don't drive on the highway as fast as you would without pulling a trailer. Excessive speed will cause your car trailer to sway back and forth. An unstable trailer is a danger to your vehicles and to other motorists on the highway as well. If you feel the trailer moving around when you are driving, then you are going too fast.

By using these guidelines, you can safely move your car from one side of the country to the other using a rented trailer. Check with your rental agency to ensure that you can pick up the trailer on one end of your trip and drop it off on the other end, without having to drive too far to take either action. Contact a company like Route 12 Rental Co Inc. for more information.

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