Dear Lifehacker, I was thinking about buying a larger/better trailer than what I need for myself with the intention of renting it out to other people to help recoup the cost. Is it possible that a speeding or red light fine would go to the owner of a trailer if the camera was behind the vehicle?
(BTW, to stop someone stealing my trailer, I was going to hide a 3G GPS unit on it so I can track it.) Thanks, Trailer Trash Man
Dear TTM,
It depends on how the fine was calculated, but if photography was involved, you should be able to point out you weren’t driving the towing vehicle. Presumably you will have the personal details of anyone who rents your trailer, which should make it easy to direct the police or debt recovery agency towards the real culprit.
As a matter of course, we’d ask any prospective renter for their registration details and perhaps a copy of their drivers license: the more proof you have to clear your name, the better. It might also be worthwhile keeping a proper log of times and dates when the trailer has been rented: this will make it easier to pinpoint which renter was responsible and can be used as additional evidence.
Another thing to be mindful of is that your existing car insurance won’t cover your trailer when it’s being towed by someone else. If your trailer gets totaled in an accident, recovering the costs could therefore be tricky. Getting separate trailer insurance can help in this area and may also cover you against theft, depending on the policy.
Cheers
Lifehacker
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