Know your trailer. “In many cases, the trailer weighs more than the truck,” says Romain at Ram Trucks. All that extra weight behind the truck will have a huge impact on the truck’s ability to stop quickly and navigate sharp turns. “Height can also be an issue, as travel trailers can be much taller than the truck, so keep clearances in mind when pulling into gas stations or low bridge situations,” Romain says.

Make wider turns at curves and corners. Because your trailer’s wheels will end up closer to the inside of a turn than the wheels of your tow vehicle, the trailer tires are more likely to hit or ride up over curbs. Safe towing requires that the driver take constant care to give a wider berth than usual around any corner.

Allow for longer stopping distances. Stopping distances will increase from what your tow vehicle can normally achieve on its own, because of the added weight of the trailer. This means you’ll need to be more attentive to vehicles stopping suddenly ahead of you when towing, and begin braking sooner than if you weren’t towing.

Drive in the right lane on highways. “Try to drive in the right lane as much as possible, so you can use the extra stopping room of the right shoulder of the road in case you need to brake suddenly,” says Sundling at MrTruck.com. Driving in the right lane will also make it easier to get over to the shoulder in the case of a tire blowout.

Adjust trailer brakes according to load. Many trailers have electric brakes, and the power level can be adjusted by the driver if the truck is fitted with an optional in-vehicle trailer brake controller system. “It’s important to adjust how heavily the trailer’s brakes are applied,” says CR’s Ibbotson. “For example, you’ll want the trailer’s brakes set to use a lot of force when towing a heavy boat. But when the boat isn’t on the trailer, the trailer’s brakes need to be readjusted for that lighter weight, so the trailer’s tires aren’t locking up and skidding.”

Don’t ride your truck’s brakes on long downhills. Shift the truck’s transmission to a lower gear to help slow the vehicle and take some strain off of the brakes. Many of today’s pickup trucks have a tow/haul mode that, when the driver engages the system, will automatically downshift the transmission when it senses the truck is on a long downhill. Applying the brakes at intervals to keep the speed in check (as opposed to constant application on the brake pedal) will help keep the brakes from overheating.

Use a spotter when backing up. Have someone outside at the rear of the trailer while backing up whenever possible; mirrors—even wide tow mirrors—typically can’t provide all the visibility you may need, particularly in situations where there are other vehicles, objects, or people in close proximity.

Practice driving with a trailer. “Before hitting the road, it’s a good idea to practice accelerating, backing up, braking, making wide turns, and using your sideview mirrors,” says AAA’s Bennett. This is especially important if you are brand-new to the art of towing a trailer behind your vehicle.

Disconnect wiring before launching a boat. Disconnect the trailer’s wiring from the tow vehicle before backing the trailer into the water at a boat launch. This will avoid any electrical problems that might arise from submerging the trailer’s lights in the water.

Check your route ahead of time. “Some roads don’t allow trailers on them, and certain roads also have weight, height, and width limits,” says Mel Yu, CR’s automotive analyst. Planning your route ahead of time will save you from the hassle of having to backtrack to find roads that allow your rig.