Many deliveries are done by truck, such as pickup trucks and flat-bed trucks of similar varieties, and this is useful when delivering loads of cargo that are too small for a train or even a semi truck to make. Contractor crews might use these trucks, for example, to deliver construction materials to a project site or to a home that is being remodeled, or when a company is delivering a large item to a customer such as a washing machine or a tractor-style lawn mower. But even if a truck is strong enough and big enough to carry these items, safety is still the first priority, and without retractable bed tie downs or bull ring tie downs, a large item, or a stack of heavy items like bricks, might come tumbling off a truck during delivery, and this can spell disaster. Car crashes and property damage may happen if a truck’s cargo falls off, so retractable bed tie downs or Ford bed tie down ropes or straps are essential. Nets might be used for finer items that can slip through bigger restraints like retractable bed tie downs. How can safety be maintained on the road?
Cargo and Crashes
The unfortunate part of carrying cargo is that there is a risk of heavy items falling off a truck and striking other vehicles, or scattering across the road and causing a crash, or at least disrupting traffic. Not to mention how the cargo’s owner will be unhappy that their items are getting scattered all over the road. Today, many trucks are out there, and many of them are being used for their intended purpose of carrying items. Light trucks such as pickups sell well, and in fact, as of 2017 they outsold regular cars for the fifth year in a row, reaching a market share of 64.5%. Overall, nearly 18% of all vehicles sold in the United States in the 21st century are pickups, and anyone who drives a truck with cargo should put safety first. This means using retractable bed tie downs, a retractable truck anchor, truck tie down straps, or even nets for numerous, smaller items.
Just how serious is the road safety issue? There are statistics to track how often traffic wrecks or other problems arise due to spilled or loose cargo, and they show that a lot of damage may happen whenever a truck driver is operating without the right straps or nets for cargo in the truck’s bed. AAA, for one, conducted a study over the span of four years and came to the conclusion that nearly 200,000 crashed are caused in the United States every year by errant debris, and while some debris may come from a car’s open trunk or a van’s open back, plenty of other debris is bound to originate from pickup trucks or other flatbed trucks carrying furniture, large appliances for the home, or construction materials. In that study, two in three of those 200,000 crashes were being caused by improperly secured truck cargo, and those crashes threatened drivers’ lives on the road. Among those 200,000 documented crashes, 500 people were killed and another 39,000 were injured due to either the debris striking them or crashing their car in an effort to avoid that debris. But a responsible truck driver can avoid being a part of those statistics by using basic security features for a truck’s bed and the cargo.
Secure that Cargo
Someone who is delivering items by truck should acquire and use the correct retractable bed tie downs or other security features based on the size and weight of the items involved. Not all tie down straps are the same; they may very length, and also in how much weight they can handle. Disaster may strike if a too-weak strap is used on a very heavy item, as it may break the strap or snap off the secure hook. The driver must know the dimensions and weight of the cargo, then find straps whose length and strength are suited for it. The driver may then use hooks and other materials to strap down the item on all sides and the top, and only then are they ready to drive. Nets may be used for smaller items like bricks.
