Allies in Action: Industry Unites for 2025 Trailer Safety Week 

The National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) flagship safety initiative, Trailer Safety Week (TSW), was held this year June 1-7. TSW was recognized federally, with the week being named National Trailer Safety Week in the U.S. in Washington, DC. You can read more on the Federal Recognition here. Equally as important, Trailer Safety Week Allies, Champions, and Partners did not disappoint and showed incredible support for the social media-based safety campaign.  

While trailer safety is the Association’s mission year-round, TSW provides a dedicated time for those in the industry to highlight and share vital safety information. For some members, TSW feels like a time when the industry really comes together.  

“As members of NATM, we support National Trailer Safety Week because it brings everyone to the table,” said Jack Dudenhoeffer, Executive VP, Austin Hardware & Supply. “Trailer manufacturers, hardware suppliers like us, and dealers can share our collective knowledge and help ensure the information reaches trailer end users — Just some friendly reminders that they need to tow safely and confidently. Safe trailering practices are everyone’s responsibility, and we’re happy to participate.” 

Canadian Load Divider Dollies Inc. President Laurie Stross builds his products with safety in mind. It’s something important to him and to the core of the company, and that’s why he’s involved with NATM and Trailer Safety Week. 

“I believe more education should be promoted for road safety. As a CDL holder with over 3.5 million miles accident-free, I've seen some very dangerous situations with commercial and private drivers,” Stross said. “Trailer Safety Week, to me, was a great way to inform those who wanted advice on road safety to get reliable information from so many Allies with professional advice.” 

While safer roadways nationwide is ultimately the goal, that starts with taking care of people at home. Certain places across the country face regional-specific challenges. No one knows that better than the Colorado State Patrol. Trooper Hunter Mathews with the Colorado State Patrol Public Affairs Office says they are consistently seeking out traffic and road safety information to build awareness and educate online followers. 

“Colorado is known for its outdoor recreation activities, which include camping, hunting, fishing, and backpacking. Whether pulling ATVs, a boat, a camper, or a trailer, we see an influx of towing year-round,” Mathews said. “Traveling the curvy mountain roads and steep grades in Colorado while towing poses many unique challenges. We want folks to know you will be required to make wider turns, drive slower than others, and need more space in traffic.” 

Maine Trailer Inc. is heavily involved in their community and is a longtime TSW participant. They use their platform to further promote safety for their area. 

“At Maine Trailer, our primary goal for Trailer Safety Week is to raise awareness around safe trailering practices and empower our customers to feel confident every time they hit the road. We strive to use this week as a platform to educate our community—whether it’s a first-time trailer buyer or a seasoned hauler—on best practices for towing, loading, and regular maintenance. Safety is a core value here, and TSW gives us a great opportunity to amplify that message,” said Chris Brady, Marketing Manager, Maine Trailer Inc. 

Brady says the safety concerns Maine Trailer focuses on include: 

• Ensuring trailers are properly hitched and secured
• Understanding weight ratings and avoiding overloading
• Performing regular brake and light inspections
• Encouraging routine service and maintenance to catch issues early 

The service department is a key part of Maine Trailer’s business, so in addition to highlighting the importance of routine maintenance, they also emphasize the importance of using the correct parts. 

“That’s something our Parts Department is always ready to help with,” Brady said. “Trailer Safety Week is the perfect reminder that a little prevention goes a long way toward keeping everyone safe.” 

Stross agrees that routine maintenance is a key safety practice. On top of owning and operating a truck company for 30 years, he’s a heavy-duty mechanic, a journeyman welder, and has been a commercial vehicle inspector for the past 18 years. His top safety tip? 

“Always do a walk-around visual any time you get out of your vehicle,” Stross said. “A 30-second visual walk around it could prevent an event. This includes a weekly light check.” 

Safety is good for business, says Scott Herbst, Vendor Relations Director at etrailer.com. When their vendors make safer products, etrailer.com can sell more of them. At the end of the day, that’s what business is about. But they strive to do good business and do good for the industry, too.  

“We wanted to participate because we understand how important safety is for the industry … because the industry is what's important to us. And then, of course, it's going to help the consumer, which is going to help our business,” Herbst said. “We have a large amount of people that we talk to every day online. We have a reach that could actually help spread your message. (NATM) is not for profit. You're about safety. You're not about making money. So, it's more about making the industry better. You're doing things that are helping make it safer.” 

To help spread the TSW message, etrailers.com produced their own safety video. The video highlights trailer safety tips with helpful video shot by etrailer.com’s Installation Technician and Video Talent Brad Branco and Video Producer and Editor Dustin Karrer.  

“We get all kinds of walks of life when it comes to towing, anywhere from beginners to experts, and there's always room for safety,” Branco said. “No towing is good if it's unsafe, and it's a good reminder for everyone. We figured this is a good way that we can share what we bring to the table, as far as making videos, and help promote you guys as much as we can.” 

Making videos is the core of what Branco and Karrer do. They say the assets from the Trailer Safety Communications Kit made making the TSW video go smoothly.  

“After I signed up as an Ally, I got your packet of information. I went through the PowerPoint, and we used those slides basically as a basis for the video,” Karrer said. “I had maybe half a day of pre-production and planning it out beforehand. And then Brad came in, and we spent the better part of the morning shooting the video. Then I edited it, too, so probably a day and a half to 2 days. Max.” 

The etrailer.com team says two days of work to support the TSW mission is well worth it. Maine Trailer says their customers appreciate the clear, helpful tips and reminders they share during Trailer Safety Week. NATM applauds the efforts of all the TSW Allies, Champions, and Partners. It is because of your efforts that the 2025 TSW was another success, and vital safety information was shared worldwide.  

Search for #TrailerSafetyWeek on social media and see all the great content posted by NATM Allies, Champions, and Partners. Visit TrailerSafetyWeek.com for even more safety content.