Drive Safe: Secure Your Load | NHTSA (2024)

FAQs

How do you make sure a load is secure? ›

It is the responsibility of the motor carrier and the driver to ensure that any cargo aboard a vehicle is properly loaded and secured.

Final answer: Ignoring typos or irrelevant parts of the questions being asked is not a recommended guideline for securing a load. All other options: loading the largest item first, using smaller items as braces, following product markings, and placing tie down or rope after loading are considered best practices.

Cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured on or within a vehicle by structures of adequate strength, dunnage (loose materials used to support and protect cargo) or dunnage bags (inflatable bags intended to fill space between articles of cargo or between cargo and the wall of the vehicle), shoring bars, tiedowns or a ...

Load heavy items at the bottom and against the rear seats; it's much easier to stop a heavy item moving in the first place rather than trying to block it as it's already moving forwards. Car boots in most cars come with two or four anchor points which can be used with ratchet straps.

Secure every load with straps, nets, tarps, and other tie-downs to prevent items from falling out, sliding, shifting, or becoming airborne. Securely fasten large items directly to your vehicle or trailer. Cover your entire load with a tarp or net to prevent smaller items from blowing out, and secure the cover.

Load securement refers to placing an item on a vehicle and keeping it in place until it's ready to be removed. Proper load securement is a safety practice to protect materials in transport and prevent incidents on the road that can hurt drivers and cause costly damage.

For loads up to 5,000 pounds, you need a minimum of two tie down straps. For loads over 5,000 pounds, you need additional tie down straps. A good rule of thumb is one strap for every 10 feet of cargo length. We recommend that if you are transporting 10,000 pounds or more, then to use at least four tiedowns.

To protect your items and keep other drivers safe, secure all cargo using a ratchet tie down. If you are filling the whole bed of your truck, use more than one tie-down.

What are the three elements of a load securement system? ›

The driver is always responsible for ensuring cargo is safe, even if he did not load it. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has special requirements in the driver's handbook regarding securing cargo, including a mandate that a securement system be in place.

Your load must be restrained so it can restrain 80% of your load in a forward direction, 50% of your load in a sidewards and backwards direction, and 20% of your load in an upwards direction. Your restraints must meet these standards so that your load is secure when turning, braking, and accelerating.

The three common types of cargo lashing that are used to secure cargo are chain lashing, fixed winches and web lashing. Tie-downs are used to secure heavy loads to vehicles with tie-down straps, heavy-duty strapping or tensioned chains. Lashings and tie-downs use tension to secure cargo in place.