What kind of incident do safety chains help to prevent?

Safety chains are specifically designed to prevent the detachment of a towed vehicle from the towing vehicle. When properly attached, these chains provide a secondary connection that ensures the towed vehicle remains secured, even in the event of a failure of the primary hitch mechanism. This is crucial for maintaining safety on the road, as a detached vehicle can pose significant dangers to other drivers and pedestrians.

In contrast, options related to maintenance issues, paint scratches, or overloading do not directly connect to the primary function of safety chains, which is to ensure that the towed vehicle stays connected during transport. Thus, the role of safety chains focuses strictly on preventing detachment, making it the most relevant option.