Dimensions and mass of trailer
- Maximum trailer dimensions
- 12 meters long (trailer)
- 18 meters long (trailer + car)
- 2.55 meters wide
- 4 meters high (with or without load)
- Weight: The vehicle registration register and the vehicle registration certificate state the maximum weight of the load under the axle of the trailer and the total mass of the trailer (including load). This also applies to the load under the coupling (ball pressure), see 10.3 Driving with a load.
- Brakes - a trailer with a maximum permitted mass of more than 750 kg must have its own braking device. A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of less than 750 kg does not have to have its own braking system, but it is allowed. This must meet the applicable requirements.
- Shock absorbers and suspension springs - a trailer must have properly functioning shock absorbers and suspension springs.
- Turn signals - a trailer must have two turn signals at the rear.
- Hazard warning lights - a trailer must have properly functioning hazard warning lights.
- Tyres
- Make sure to do an extra check for drought cracks: The tires of a trailer must meet the same requirements as those of a passenger car. An additional point of attention is the check for drought cracks. Because trailers usually travel fewer kilometers than cars, the tires wear less quickly. So they often last longer. Dry cracks mainly occur on older tires. It is therefore advisable to replace the tires for caravans every six years.
Trailer lighting
- Front lighting
- Side lights for trailers wider than 1.60 meters (2x)
- White retroreflectors (2x)
- Rear lighting
- (Red) rear lights (2x)
- Red brake lights (2x)
- Red retroreflectors (2x)
- Rear fog light (1x)
- Reversing light (1x)
- Direction indicators
- License plate lighting
In detail:
- Side lights - a trailer wider than 1.60 meters must have two side lights at the front. These must come on at the same time as the lighting of the towing vehicle.
- Retroreflectors - a trailer must have 2 white retroreflectors at the front, 2 red triangular reflectors at the rear and amber retroreflectors on the side.
- Tail lights - the two (red) tail lights must be on at the same time as the side lights, dipped beams, high beams or fog lights (of the car?)
- Reversing light - every trailer put into use after December 31, 2012 must have a reversing light.
- Brake lights - the red rear brake lights should come on as soon as the service brake (foot brake) is pressed in the car. A third brake light may be placed in the middle (and higher than the other two lights). The 3rd brake light is mandatory on cars taken into use after September 30, 2001.
- Rear fog light - a trailer must have a properly functioning rear fog light.
- Side marker lights - a trailer longer than 6 meters must have side marker lights on each side.
- Front and rear clearance lights - a trailer wider than 2.10 meters must have two clearance lights at the front and rear.
- License plate lighting - this must be on at the same time as the parking lights, dipped beams, high beams or fog lights (of the car?)
Trailers lighter or heavier than 750 kg
You have trailers in different sizes and weights. An important limit is 750 kg maximum permitted mass. This is the weight of your trailer and load together.
Different rules apply to a trailer under this weight than to a trailer with a maximum permitted mass of more than 750 kg. It also makes a difference whether you tow a braked or unbraked trailer.
Important: The maximum weight your car can tow is stated on your registration certificate. A distinction is made between a braked or unbraked trailer.
License plate
See:
- Trailer license plate with maximum permitted mass > 750 kg
- Trailer license plate with maximum permitted mass < 750 kg
It is important that the license plate is visible. Eg. not covered by any load. ‼️
With or without breaks
A second difference lies in the question of whether the trailer itself has a braking device, i.e. whether the trailer is ‘braked’ or ‘unbraked’.
A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of 750 kg does not need to have its own braking system (though it is allowed). With an unbraked trailer, the car’s brakes must be powerful enough to bring the trailer (and load) to a standstill on its own.
A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of more than 750 kg must have its own braking system. This brakes itself along with the towing vehicle using the overrun brake.
A braking device consists of wheels fitted with brakes and an overrun brake (which slides in and out under suspension) mounted on the drawbar.
- Wheels with Brakes: This part of the system is fairly straightforward. It refers to the wheels of the trailer which are equipped with their own brakes. These brakes function independently of the towing vehicle’s brakes, allowing the trailer to contribute to the overall braking effort.
- Overrun Brake: This is a more specialized component. An overrun brake system is designed to activate the trailer’s brakes automatically when the towing vehicle slows down. The overrun brake typically consists of a mechanism that slides in and out under the effect of suspension. It’s mounted on the drawbar (the part of the trailer that connects to the hitch of the towing vehicle). When the towing vehicle slows down, the trailer moves slightly forward due to its momentum, causing the overrun brake to compress (slide in) and apply the trailer’s brakes. This helps in slowing down the trailer synchronously with the towing vehicle, enhancing safety, especially in heavy trailers.
Auxiliary coupling or breakaway cable
The third difference between the lighter and heavier trailer is the security if the trailer becomes separated from the car. There are two types of security mechanisms:
- Auxiliary coupling: a thick steel cable that keeps the trailer connected to the car if the tow bar breaks. This extra coupling must be secured in such a way that the drawbar (the bar at the front of the trailer) does not touch the ground when the tow bar becomes loose.
- Breakaway cable: This thin steel cable runs via the tow bar of the car to the handbrake of the trailer. If the trailer comes loose from the car, the breakaway cable applies the handbrake of the trailer. The cable ‘breaks’ as soon as the trailer brake is applied. The trailer then stops automatically - separate from the car
A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of up to 750 kg:
- Must have an auxiliary coupling
- A light trailer does not have to have a breakaway braking device, but it is allowed
- If the trailer does have a breakaway braking device, you must use it
- A trailer with a breakaway braking device may not have an auxiliary coupling
A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of more than 1500 kg:
- Must have a breakaway braking device (breakaway cable).
Securing device
A trailer with a maximum permitted mass of more than 750 kg must have a properly functioning lashing device. This must ensure that a trailer or caravan remains in place, even when it is not attached to a car. The securing device must in any case act on the wheels of one axle.
Connecting and disconnecting
To safely connect or disconnect a trailer or caravan, it must be as straight as possible and on a flat surface. If the trailer has a lashing device, use it. Connect the trailer to your car, connect the electricity cable and check whether all the trailer lights work. Before you start driving, release the lashing device and do a final check before you hit the road.