Strap In (and Strap Down)
Whether you're hauling a new bookcase from the furniture store or simply running errands around town, it's surprisingly easy to underestimate just how important it is to properly secure everything in and on your vehicle. An unsecured load doesn't just risk damage to your belongings; it can create genuinely dangerous situations for you, your passengers, and every other person on the road. Here are 20 things people most commonly overlook when it comes to securing their car properly.
1. Large Furniture
If you've ever seen a couch sliding off the back of a pickup truck on the highway, you already know how dangerous an unsecured piece of furniture can be. It should go without saying that mattresses, dressers, tables, and bookshelves need to be properly strapped down with heavy-duty ratchet straps before you even think about pulling out of the parking lot.
2. Lumber and Long Building Materials
Long planks, pipes, and metal rods that extend beyond the bed of a truck are among the most hazardous unsecured loads you can have on the road. At highway speeds, an unsecured piece of lumber can become a projectile that causes catastrophic damage to other vehicles. Always use proper tie-downs, make sure nothing can shift during braking or turning, and attach a red flag or marker to anything that sticks out past the rear of your vehicle.
3. Appliances
Refrigerators, washing machines, and other large appliances are heavy, awkward, and notoriously difficult to keep stable during transport. Even a seemingly secure stack can tip over during a sharp turn or sudden stop, potentially crashing through the cab window or tumbling onto the road. Use moving blankets to protect them, secure them upright whenever possible, and use multiple tie-down points to distribute the weight evenly.
4. Bicycles
A bike that isn't properly mounted to a rack or secured in a truck bed will shift, scratch, and potentially fall off entirely, which is a serious hazard for everyone behind you. Even on a rack, bikes need to be individually strapped and checked before every trip, because vibration from the road can loosen connections over time. Give each bike a firm shake before you drive off to make sure nothing is going anywhere.
5. Ladders
Ladders are one of the most commonly reported sources of road debris accidents, largely because people assume a quick bungee cord or two is sufficient to hold them in place at speed. A full-size extension ladder requires multiple secure tie-down points at both ends, and ideally it should rest on a proper lumber rack rather than just the edge of a truck bed. Take the time to do it right, because a ladder sliding off your vehicle at 60 miles per hour is every driver's worst nightmare.
6. Kayaks and Canoes
Roof-mounted kayaks and canoes create significant wind resistance, and without proper strapping they can shift, slide, or lift off the roof entirely on the highway. You'll want to use both bow and stern lines in addition to the roof rack straps, because the straps alone aren't always enough to prevent front-to-back movement at high speeds. Check the tension of your straps after your first few miles on the road, since things have a way of settling once you're moving.
SaiKrishna Saketh Yellapragada on Unsplash
7. Cargo in an Open Truck Bed
Loose gravel, mulch, dirt, sand, and similar materials in an open truck bed can fly out and hit other vehicles, cracking windshields and creating dangerous road conditions for drivers behind you. Many states require that loose loads be covered with a tarp or net, and failing to do so can result in a fine as well as liability for any damage caused. If you're hauling bulk materials, a proper cargo net or fitted tarp is a non-negotiable piece of equipment.
8. Moving Boxes
It might be tempting to stack moving boxes to the ceiling of a rental truck or your SUV and assume they'll hold, but an unsecured tower of boxes is an accident waiting to happen. Heavy boxes on top of lighter ones will shift under braking, and a cascade of boxes can block your rear visibility or even injure passengers if they come loose suddenly. Pack heaviest items at the bottom, fill gaps to prevent shifting, and use cargo nets or straps to keep stacks from tipping.
9. Gas Cans
Transporting a gas can that isn't properly secured (or worse, one that isn't sealed correctly) is a fire hazard that no one should take lightly. Fuel vapors are flammable, and a can rolling around in the back of your car or truck bed can leak, spill, or create a dangerous buildup of fumes in an enclosed space. Use an approved container, make sure it's tightly sealed, secure it upright so it can't roll, and never transport gasoline in the passenger cabin.
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10. Power Tools and Equipment
Drills, saws, nail guns, and other power tools are dense, heavy objects that can cause serious injury if they're not secured during transport. A toolbox sliding across a truck bed or a drill rolling off a back seat can hit a passenger, crack a window, or become a dangerous projectile in a sudden stop. Keep tools in a latching toolbox or secured bag, and make sure any box in the truck bed is bolted down or strapped in place.
Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash
11. Potted Plants
Large potted plants are deceptively tricky to transport because their uneven weight distribution makes them prone to tipping, and a heavy ceramic pot tipping onto its side mid-drive can make quite a mess of your upholstery. Tall or top-heavy plants should be secured in a laundry basket, box, or crate to keep them upright, and the pot itself should be wedged so it can't roll or slide. Your fiddle leaf fig will thank you for the extra effort.
12. Camping Gear and Rooftop Cargo Boxes
Rooftop cargo boxes are incredibly convenient for road trips, but they're only as secure as the rack they're attached to and the straps holding the contents inside. An overloaded or improperly mounted cargo box can detach from the roof at highway speeds, creating a genuinely catastrophic hazard for any vehicle behind you. Always follow the manufacturer's weight limits, double-check all mounting hardware before a trip, and periodically stop to verify that everything is still tight.
13. Strollers and Baby Gear
A folded stroller or bulky baby gear tossed loosely in the back of an SUV can become a fast-moving object in the event of a sudden stop or collision. Strollers in particular are awkward shapes that roll and shift easily, so it's worth taking a moment to wedge them against the side of the cargo area or secure them with a cargo net. It's also a good idea to keep heavy baby gear as far from rear-facing passengers as possible, just in case.
Tamara Govedarovic on Unsplash
14. Sports Equipment
Golf bags, hockey bags, baseball bats, and similar equipment might seem harmless sitting in your back seat, but during a collision or hard stop they can seriously injure passengers. A loose baseball bat or a set of golf clubs sliding forward from the trunk is not something anyone wants to deal with mid-drive. Use your cargo area rather than the passenger seat, and consider a cargo net to keep equipment from migrating into the cabin.
15. Your Dog
We all love seeing a happy dog with its head out the window, but a moving vehicle can be unsafe for the animal and distracting for the driver. In the event of a sudden stop or accident, an unrestrained pet can be seriously injured, and in some states, driving with an unsecured animal can actually result in a fine. A properly fitted harness with a seatbelt attachment, or a secured travel crate, is the safest way to bring your pup along for the ride.
16. Spare Tires and Jack Equipment
A spare tire and jack that are just rattling around in your trunk rather than properly stowed in their designated compartment can shift during hard braking and cause damage or injury. Most vehicles have a specific mounting system for the spare and a designated spot for the jack kit, and those systems exist for a very good reason. Take a few minutes to make sure everything is secured in its proper place, especially after you've recently used your spare and reinstalled it.
17. Roof Racks and Crossbars
An empty roof rack might seem harmless, but improperly installed crossbars and mounting feet can detach from the roof at highway speeds if they weren't fitted correctly. Beyond the obvious hazard of hardware flying off your vehicle, a detached rack can gouge your roof and cause expensive damage in the process. Follow the installation instructions precisely, check the torque on all mounting points periodically, and remove the rack entirely if you're not planning to use it for an extended period.
18. Trailer Hitches and Towed Loads
A trailer that isn't properly connected to your hitch, or a hitch ball that isn't tightened down correctly, can detach from your vehicle while you're driving, with potentially catastrophic consequences for everyone nearby. Safety chains are there for a reason, and crossing them under the tongue of the trailer is standard practice that helps keep things from going fully wrong if the main connection fails. Always do a pre-departure check of your hitch, safety chains, trailer lights, and tire pressure before towing anything, no matter how short the trip is.
19. Yourself
Buckle up—and not just because it's the law. An unbelted driver or passenger becomes a projectile in a collision, and the forces involved, even in a moderate-speed crash, are far beyond what any person can brace against. Wearing your seatbelt correctly is one of the simplest and most effective safety measures available to you every single time you get in the car.
Alexandria Gilliott on Unsplash
20. Your Baby or Young Child
No list about unsecured things in a car would be complete without the most important one of all: your child. It should go without saying, but every child needs to be in an age-appropriate, properly installed car seat that's secured according to the manufacturer's instructions and your state's laws. If you're not sure whether your car seat is installed correctly, take a moment to do thorough research or ask a trusted person for an inspection, because this is the one mistake you don't want to make.
