I would have to say that 75% of the guys that pull those that i see should not, but nothing can be done. Accept maybe an "long license added to the 5 they have" Simple test can you turn a 90 corner in city trafic and can you back up. Saves all the guys that can do it.
And people with the big motor homes with air brakes should have to have a air brake endorsement. I can only guess at how many of those units the driver doesnt even know what air brake means.
was told by an rc friend that if you are pulling trains you ned a 1. but they do not enforce it to hard. but i have seen guys having to leave the boat on the side of the road before and come back later. not sure why but they had a cop behind them and where dropping the rear trailer.
As stated, you don't need a class 1 to pull 2 trailers. Whoever told you that, has no idea about lisencing. And, the law calls 2 trailers behind a pickup different then a b-train. The likely reason you have seen people leaving the 2nd trailer is over length.
The problem is, you cannot stop the idiots. They will try to put a pallet of bricks on their little homemade trailer that will basically be dragging on the ground. They will pull a massive 40ft 5th wheel or whatever. No lisence will stop it. It would just be another gov't money grab. How many people the way they drive on a daily basis would pass a road test for a class 5? Less then 25% of drivers I bet? How much good does that road test do? How many people do you see driving a class 1 vehicle that shouldn't be driving a prius? Lots! Anyone can get their class 1 even......it takes nothing. Don't need a clue about how to drive, there are people who will hand out the lisence.
I would love to see all the idiots pulled off the road that do it, but not going to happen. How is pulling a 25ft 5th wheel and 15 ft boat any different or less safe then a 40ft 5th wheel? Still a long unit that needs to be driven properly.
I think one of the only ways would be larger fines. Like not letting someone going 120 in a 110 going if they got a massive trailer behind them. Or pulling over these half tons with 35ft bumper pulls behind them that are swaying to hell. Or if they did it right, making ANY vehicle 4500kg or more pull into scales and weight in. It would help get rid of overloaded vehicles and unsecured loads. Not to mention, a good time for DOT's to check if people can drive.