With summer just around the corner, many people are hitching boats, RVs, and trailers behind their vehicles. If you're going to be one of them, you need to know what mistakes to avoid when towing. Incorrect towing can damage your boat or RV, your car, or even cause an accident with another car. To avoid having to call in professional towers, here are the top five towing mistakes:

1. Forgetting the brakes

When you're towing, you add weight to your vehicle. The more weight your vehicle has, the longer it takes to stop. This is basic physics and momentum. But, this is also an easy mistake to overlook. When driving, be sure and give yourself extra braking room. Also, give yourself more room between you and the vehicle in front of you. If you're pulling a load that weighs more than your vehicle, you might want to invest in an electronic braking system to ensure you have plenty of braking distance to avoid an accident.

2. Using incorrect gear

When towing, the last thing you want to happen is that the load you're towing snaps off the vehicle. Be sure to always use the correct gear for what you're pulling. Make sure the bar or chain you're using to connect the load to your vehicle is rated appropriately. The bar or chain will state how much weight it can hold. You will want to use a bar that can pull a load that is heavier than the one you're actually towing. This ensures the safety and security of that boat you're pulling.

3. Not using trailer lights

Most of the loads you'll be towing will obscure the view of your rear lights from the view of other drivers. To prevent accidents, you need to be sure your trailer is wired to your vehicle's lighting system. This means that if your brake light comes on, or you turn on your lane change signal, your trailer's lights will come on accordingly. This allows other drivers to see what you're doing. In some jurisdictions, this is even a law, so having this system guarantees you won't get a ticket.

4. Reversing straight

You might be used to backing up in a straight line with your vehicle, but you can't do that when you're pulling a trailer. If you try to reverse while going straight, your trailer is going to pull to the side. Be sure and give yourself ample room on all sides, and don't put yourself in a situation where you need to back up in a completely straight line. Also, don't forget to give yourself more room when turning. If necessary, practice in an empty parking lot or field before your big boating trip.

5. You need more fuel

This is another mistake that seems like common sense, but is an easy one to forget when you're on the road. Often, people plan their trips and stops for gas based on the gas mileage of their vehicle alone. They forget to take into account the extra fuel needed to pull a load. The extra weight will eat into your gas mileage, and you will have to make more stops on the road. Don't take a route or a highway with long gaps between gas stations.

These are the top five mistakes that people make when towing. By knowing and avoiding these mistakes, your boat or RV trip will be much more enjoyable this summer. If you do run into trouble on the road, call a local towing company, such as AC Towing, for help or advice.