A strong, sturdy hitch can do more than tow heavy loads; sometimes, it can make the difference between life and death.
Consider this: When you tow, a giant hunk of metal (a.k.a. your trailer) is barreling down the road behind you, just a few feet from the back of your head. The only things standing between your head and that trailer are a trailer hitch and a pane of glass.
That’s why having a reliable hitch is so important.
The following stories are true, firsthand accounts of people who avoided potential catastrophe and tragedy because they invested in a quality hitch.
“I’m 100% sure your hitch saved us from serious injury, and possibly saved our lives.”
These are the words of Jason Colclasure. He was towing a horse trailer on the interstate when another car, going over 65 mph, lost control and crashed into his vehicle. The force of the impact pushed Jason’s truck up onto the concrete divider between the lanes and jackknifed his truck and trailer. When Jason got out of his truck to survey the damage, the frame of his truck was buckled and his truck bed floor was bent out of place.
“Thankfully, my B&W hitch didn’t fail. The fact that the trailer stayed hooked undoubtedly kept us from rolling,” Jason said.
Jason and his horse suffered some minor injuries, but he is still here to tell the story.
“We will be installing another B&W hitch in our new truck,” Jason concluded.
My Hitch Saved Me Many Sore Days and Nights
Carlin Friar recounted this story to us: “[Recently,] I was rear-ended while pulling my 40-foot fifth-wheel toy hauler with a B&W Companion hitch. I was stopped in traffic at an exit ramp, and the vehicle that hit me came sideways across three lanes of traffic in a 70-mph zone.
“The B&W Companion ended up mangled, but stayed intact and absorbed the shock of the impact. That hitch probably saved me many sore days and nights.”
Sara Miller’s Story
“I was heading to the vet using a B&W Turnoverball to haul a trailer loaded with three horses. It had snowed two nights before, but the weather had cleared up, the sun was out, and the roads were completely dry… or so I thought.
“I accelerated up a hill to almost 45 mph, but when I reached the top and looked down the other side, I saw a stretch of black ice on the straightaway in front of me. I tried to get the truck shut down before I got to the ice but it was too late. I let off the brakes before hitting the ice but I was still going about 30 mph. The momentum of the trailer caused the truck to lose control as soon as the tires hit the ice.
“I slid off the road into a snow-covered wheat field and the trailer jackknifed to the left. The truck flipped on its side and wedged up under the trailer, but amazingly, stayed coupled.
“When help arrived, they were able to hook onto the axle of the trailer, flip the truck back upright, and pull both trailer and truck out of the field, sill hitched together.
“After disconnecting the trailer from the truck, the B&W Turnoverball appeared as if nothing had happened. After disassembling the truck bed, it became obvious that the steel plate of the B&W hitch had probably prevented the entire truck bed from being crushed like an accordion.
“I’m sold on B&W and wouldn’t choose to use anything else.”
A Child in the Back Seat
John Callaway was towing his camper with a truck and B&W Companion hitch. His small child was in the rear seat of his truck. He was going approximately 40 mph when a motorhome in front of him abruptly slammed to a halt. John had no time to react, and a split second later, he found himself in the middle of a seven-vehicle pileup.
After he recovered from the shock of the impact, John whirled around to check on his child. Mercifully, the child was safe and sound. The Companion hitch had absorbed most of the impact of the collision; this prevented the camper from slamming into the back of his cab and injuring his child and himself.
John said, “I was surprised at how well the hitch stayed together and how much force it absorbed. I think the Companion is a great product, and I will be ordering another one for my new truck.”
Zachary Shoaf’s Story
“I was on my way to pick up a load of parts with my 25’ GN flatbed and B&W hitch. I was getting ready to exit the freeway, going approximately 45-50 mph, when a truck pulled out from behind me and tried to pass. When it did so, it cut off another car going 65 mph, causing that car to spin out of control and hit my driver side rear tire.
“The impact made my truck to start spinning, too, and my trailer jackknifed. I slid across two lanes of traffic and slammed into the 5-foot concrete divider in the middle of the freeway. Both the truck and trailer were totaled.
“There is no doubt in my mind that if my hitch would have broken, the trailer would have crashed through the cab – but the hitch held. I walked away without a scratch, and amazingly enough, the hitch still works like nothing ever happened.”
“We All Walked Away”
It was a winter night, and Joe Nauyokas and his wife were towing a horse trailer with three horses inside. Suddenly, another vehicle veered into their lane and side-swiped them, causing both their truck and trailer to flip. Both truck and trailer landed on their side, but the B&W hitch withstood the impact and stayed hooked, preventing the trailer from breaking away and rolling further.
Joe said, “The other vehicle was moving at about 65 mph when it hit us. The three horses, my wife, and I all walked away from the crash.”
Do you have your own “I Lived” story to tell? Share it with us in the comments below or email us at marketingstaff@turnoverball.com.
B&W hitches are designed to be strong and durable, but no trailer hitch is failsafe in accidents and collisions. Please drive responsibly and take the proper safety precautions when driving and towing.
