2013 Toyota Matrix Owners Manual - Page 156

2-5. Driving information ● Practice turning, stopping and reversing with the trailer attached in an area away from traffic until you become accustomed to the feel of the vehicle-trailer combination. ● Reversing with a trailer attached is difficult and requires practice. Grip the bottom of the steering wheel and move your hand to the left to move the trailer to the left. Move your hand to the right to move the trailer to the right. (This is generally opposite to reversing without a trailer attached.) Avoid sharp or prolonged turning. Have someone guide you when reversing to reduce the risk of an accident. ● As stopping distance is increased when towing a trailer, vehicle-tovehicle distance should be increased. For each 10 mph (16 km/h) of speed, allow at least one vehicle and trailer length. ● Avoid sudden braking as you may skid, resulting in the trailer jackknifing and a loss of vehicle control. This is especially true on wet or slippery surfaces. ● Avoid jerky starts or sudden acceleration. ● Avoid jerky steering and sharp turns, and slow down before making a turn. ● Note that when making a turn, the trailer wheels will be closer than the vehicle wheels to the inside of the turn. Compensate by making a wider than normal turning radius. ● Slow down before making a turn, in cross winds, on wet or slippery surfaces, etc. Increasing vehicle speed can destabilize the trailer. ● Take care when passing other vehicles. Passing requires considerable distance. After passing a vehicle, do not forget the length of your trailer, and be sure you have plenty of room before changing lanes. 174