A contractor that was working for me got a ticket for not having safety chains.

It's just a scratch...

It has been a Texas law for a long time. And they will give you a ticket if you don't.

I had a Dallas police officer pull me over at 4:30 am last week because he didn't see any safety chains. My trailer has safety cables that retract.

Make sure your chains or cables are crossed. Right side from trailer to left side of tow vehicle and left chain to right side of hitch. Had a State Trooper tell me that.

that is to make a "cradle" for your tongue to fall into.
keeps the trailer tongue from hitting the pavement

that is if your chains/cable are of the correct length.
good to know

I had one come unhitched years ago going over a railroad crossing. Passed me going down the road. Luckily it was front heavy and just skidded on tongue until it stopped. Nothing damaged but my pride

Dang!

Mine came unhitched a few years ago on a state highway. The safety chains held it just long enough for me to slow it down and head towards the shoulder and then they broke. The trailer just skid to a stop but was still in the road in a curve. It was an 18ft Skeeter and light enough for me to manhandle. I got the boat off the road before anyone came around the curve. All it did was skin a little paint off the hitch and busted a marker light. I hooked it back up, stopped at a hardware store to repair the chains and went fishing. Needless to say, my nerves were a little shot to enjoy the fishing.

Bought a boat once and as I was heading down the road from his house taking it home it come off the ball. Had the safety chains hooked up and it just tapped my bumper a bit as I slowed down when I realized. Could have been a lot worse without them.

I had a trailer come un hooked but was a car hauler trailer loaded with scrap. Wasn't pretty. Ripped the jack clean off and damaged the tongue. AND THE BEST PART IS!! It was my bosses trailer! He wasn't too happy.

I forgot to latch the boat trailer down once. Made it 30 minutes before I realized that I had forgot to. Nothing happened thankfully!

My boss years ago said he was driving down a old road headed to the lake 1 morning and he looks over as a beautiful bass boat was passing him. Turned out to be his bass boat that had come unhooked from the hitch and he wasn't using tow chains. He got to watch it go by and then down into the woods!!!

Really? Passed you going down the road? I love stories like this....... I've heard it many time..... My trailer that I was towing BEHIND me.... Came lose and passes me on the side.... I looked over and there it was..... Let me tell you that I pull a trailer more than most people that pull a trailer a lot and I have had the "oh 5hit" moments and didn't latch the tounge and never once in all my stupidy has my trailer ever "passed me". Please make sure your trailer is hooked up properly don't does not "pass" you.