bshpilot wrote:
regardless of what you tow - you would be smart (and likely required by law) to have a supplemental breaking system (i.e. brake buddy, etc) on the towed vehicle.
above and beyond the supplemental braking system, many states ALSO require a break-away braking system. A break-away braking system will activate the brakes on the towed vehicle when it becomes detached from the primary mover (aka coach).
Towing Laws by State - CLICK HERE
I just spent several days investigating the legality of towing vehicles behind your motor home. I sent emails to various State Departments of Motor Vehicles, etc. The towing laws used by the various brake manufacturers are accurate if you are talking about a TRAILER. The States themselves DO NOT consider a vehicle in tow a TRAILER. It is considered a driveaway-towaway condition and therefor auxiliary braking IS NOT required. I started with the State of Florida and this is their reply:
A vehicle towed behind a motor home would be exempt from the braking requirements in Florida statute 316.261 as a drive away, tow away operation. Please contact me if you have any other questions.
Lt. Jeff Frost
Florida Highway Patrol
Public Affairs Officer
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement
2900 Apalachee Parkway, MS 45
850-617-2279
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
Other States sent a similar reply with their statute and a few, like Connecticut were short and to the point:
I concur with FL and CT would treat it the same way.Respectfully,
Donald Bridge, Jr., Lieutenant
CT Dept. of Motor Vehicles
Commercial Vehicle Safety Division
60 State Street
Wethersfield, CT 06161
Phone: (860) 263-5446
Don't get me wrong, I think it is a good idea and I use auxiliary braking in my own toad, but it is entirely false that it is LEGALLY required. In fact, I could not find one single state where auxiliary brakes were required by law on a vehicle being towed behind a motor home. Forget all of the threats about lawsuits and liability if you get in to an accident. You may be at fault but it would not because you were doing something illegally by not having auxiliary brakes on your toad.
When was the last time you saw a tow truck driver put a BrakeBuddy in the vehicle behind his truck. :B That is an example that concerns a commercial vehicle but the point is that even the FMVSS(393.42) does not require auxiliary brakes in a driveaway-towaway situation.
What this means for me is that even tho I use a Blue Ox brake, if mine fails, I am still legal to continue my trip in any state. I do not have to leave my toad behind or have my DW follow behind in the toad.
If you do not believe me, I suggest that you do what I did and send an email to your local Department of Motor Vehicles and ask them specifically about towing a vehicle behind your motor home with a tow bar. Do not believe the TRAILER rules that are posted by the various brake manufacturers.
Now, understand that a tow dolly IS a TRAILER, as is a boat or anything else, but none of those rules apply to a vehicle in tow 4 down. The facts are that I think that an auxiliary brake is a good idea but each owner of each RV has to make the decision as to what they want to do with their own toad, now that they know what the law says.
