A breakaway cable is a thin steel cable that runs from your trailer to the towing vehicle. This cable is attached to the trailer's handbrake and ensures that the trailer automatically comes to a stop if it unexpectedly disconnects while driving.
Imagine that the coupling between your car and the trailer becomes loose for whatever reason. The breakaway cable then pulls the handbrake of the overrun brake, causing the trailer to stop independently. This prevents the trailer from going its own way uncontrollably and causing damage.
Trailer overrun brake
The overrun brake of a trailer is mounted on the drawbar, which is the connection between your car and the trailer. If you brake suddenly, the trailer will shoot forward. To prevent the trailer from disconnecting or colliding with your vehicle, the overrun brake slows the trailer down as soon as the trailer starts moving forward.
Which brakes are required on the trailer?
A braked trailer over 750 kg must always be equipped with an overrun brake and a breakaway cable. This combination provides extra safety while driving. Although unbraked trailers are not required to have a breakaway cable, we do recommend it. The breakaway cable prevents the trailer from driving its own route after uncoupling.