The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators® (AAMVA) has incorporated U-Haul Safe Trailering® best practices in the latest version its Model Driver’s License Manual, which is used as part of its Noncommercial Model Driver Testing System (NMDTS).
AAMVA develops and maintains NMDTS for use by motor vehicle agencies to assist with testing new drivers.
The updated AAMVA Model Driver’s License Manual includes a section dedicated to safe trailering, with content provided by DIY moving and self-storage industry leader from its acclaimed U-Haul Safe Trailering Driver Education program. The program offers trailering education to the North American public for the purposes of preventing injuries, hazards and fatalities on our roadways.
“Trailering activities have broadened each year, and the need for safety education has increased accordingly,” stated Joe Cook, U-Haul Vice President of Government Relations. “We are proud to partner with AAMVA to provide practical trailering information and basic guidelines for new drivers. Nearly everyone is exposed to trailer towing in one form or another. Understanding the elements involved is vital for safety. With U-Haul Safe Trailering content adopted into AAMVA best practices, jurisdictions can convey necessary information to new drivers before they begin their tow.”
U-Haul® participation and cooperation with AAMVA spans decades in what began as an effort to facilitate vehicle registration reciprocity that would be fair to the transportation industry and member jurisdictions. Since 1959, U-Haul has partnered with AAMVA to sponsor and host the Traditional Past Chairs’/Presidents’ Breakfast during the AAMVA’s international and regional conferences.
“AAMVA and our members are committed to promoting highway safety and preparing drivers to be safe when they get behind the wheel,” said Anne Ferro, AAMVA CEO. “The new guidance in our Model Driver’s License Manual, including new information on safe trailering developed with our partners at U-Haul, will strengthen our already robust training materials and bring us closer to achieving our goal of Safe Drivers, Safe Vehicles, Secure Identities, Saving Lives.”
The NMDTS establishes uniformity between jurisdictions for the testing of noncommercial operators and provides a base of core information for driver manuals and graduated driver license (GDL) parent instruction guides. The development and maintenance of the NMDTS ensures that new drivers receive proper information on safe operating practices and are tested to determine whether they possess the minimum knowledge and skills for entering the driver’s license system.
Chrissy Nizer, Administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration and Chair of the AAMVA International Board of Directors, noted: “AAMVA members nationwide take their responsibility of training new drivers very seriously, knowing that the risk of a crash during the first few years of driving is much more likely. The new guidance provided in our Model Driver’s License Manual and in the Noncommercial Model Driver Testing System, including the safe trailering information, is essential to helping our members do their jobs to ensure each person who receives their license is prepared for the road.”
The U-Haul Safe Trailering initiative is adaptable to an assortment of audiences, including Driver’s Education professionals, Highway Safety Offices, Law Enforcement agencies, youth safety groups and general public safety organizers. As a corporate member of the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA) and National Student Safety Program (NSSP), U-Haul continues its longstanding commitment of encouraging the study and teaching of safe trailering.
U-Haul provides all education materials and experiences 100% free of charge to government, education and industry groups as a public service. The primary way U-Haul accomplishes this is with the Marco Garcia Trailering Demonstrator, a visual teaching tool that features a one-tenth-scaled car on a running treadmill; a weight-toting bar attached to the car, representing a trailer; and a wheel at the end of the treadmill for guests to steer the car.
VIDEO: Demonstrator teaches U-Haul Safe Trailering best practices
When loaded properly with 60% of the cargo weight toward the front of the trailer (in front of the axle), the wheel can turn abruptly and the trailer remains behind the car. But when loaded incorrectly with too much weight in the back, the demonstrator shows how an abrupt turn causes the trailer to fishtail, whipping and potentially creating a catastrophic towing scenario.
To inquire how the U-Haul Safe Trailering program can be your safe towing resource, please email trailerdemonstrator@uhaul.com.
