Travel Tips: Securing Cargo Safely

By: Steadymate

Dodging potholes won’t be the only thing causing you stress while driving this summer. Debris and loose cargo from truck beds and trailers can cause major accidents for you and your fellow travelers. Improper securement and tie-down of recreational vehicles and cargo is a real danger and can be easily avoided by the following these travel tips.

Tie-Down Straps: Tie-down straps are an essential tool for securing a motorcycle, ATV, boat or personal watercraft while in transit. Regardless of what recreational vehicle you are securing, owners should be using two pairs of tie-down straps – one pair securing the front and a second pair securing the rear of the vehicle. Each one (of the four straps) should be rated to secure the “entire” weight of your recreational vehicle. It’s not uncommon that, during a sharp turn, one strap will need to restrain the whole load.

Securement Points: Does your trailer or pick-up truck have suitable securement points that are structural members of the pick-up or trailer’s body? Are they rated? Remember the lower rating of the two items (tie-down or securement kit) dictate the overall rating of what you are securing. For example if a trailer floor fitting is rated for 400 lbs and your tie down is rated for 1000 lbs the local authorities look at the overall rating as a 400 lbs solution. NOTE: Ratings are in Working Load Limit (WLL), which is 1/3 of breaking strength – this is a Ministry standard.

Load Your Cargo in Order: Plan in advance how you want to load your cargo – this will help reduce frustration and save on time. Remember to start with your heaviest items and load them against the front wall of the trailer or near the cab of your pick-up truck.  This prevents your heavy items from building momentum if an emergency braking situation arises. This type of solution may save your life in the event of an accident. Load the lightest items closest to the tailgate or back of the trailer and ensure that they are secured down to prevent light items from bouncing out (ever wonder why only one shoe is occasionally seen on the side of the highway?).

Securing Your Exposed Items: Use a cargo bar or a truck net when you are transporting exposed items and don’t want them to shift. This will keep your cargo (i.e. BBQs, lawn chairs and other cottage essentials) secured in your truck bed and not let it slip onto the side of the highway. This will also prevent a sudden weight shift in your vehicle when you make turns that could result in a swerve, taking you into lanes you did not intend.

Please take the proper safety measures and carefully secure your recreational vehicle and cargo.

Steadymate® by Kinedyne, is the name behind the pros in the trucking industry and has been for over 40 years.

EC