Simple Tips To Follow For The Safe Transport Of Lumbar In Your Truck
Posted on: 16 February 2017
Whether you are hauling wood for a paid job or bringing back lumbar for a personal project on your home, transporting long, bulky pieces in your truck can be stressful and dangerous. While shocking to learn, 200,000 accidents were caused by road debris over a four year period in the United States. In addition, 500 of these accidents resulted in a loss of life for drivers or passersby. This debris may include trash, blown tires, and pieces that flew out of the back of a truck, which could have been prevented. If you are planning to haul lumbar in the back of your truck, use these tips to ensure a safe, efficient transportation.
Equip Your Truck
First and foremost, you need to make sure your truck is equipped for hauling a load of lumbar, especially since having a truck bed is not enough.
To get started, consider the weight capacity of your truck. While designed for hauling, your truck bed may not be strong enough to haul a large load. Determine your truck's GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, by checking the owner's manual or contacting the manufacturer. If you attempt to haul a heavier load, the weight will prevent your brakes from stopping your truck in properly. Overloading your truck will increase your risk of accidents.
Make sure your truck bed offers attachments to secure tie-down straps, as well. These attachments will allow you to secure piles of wood with tie-down straps. Ratcheting the straps into the tie-down attachments will keep the wood from moving. Make sure the tie-downs are anchored to your bed in all four corners, ensuring the strongest and most reliable transport.
Installed directly onto your truck, an automatic tarp system is also a great investment if you plan on hauling lumbar and other materials repeatedly. Automatic tarps reduce the time and energy needed to secure tie-downs before hauling items in your truck. There are several different types of tarp systems, and all can help to ensure your materials are secure. Talk with companies like Glider Systems Inc for more options and information.
If long pieces of lumbar are hanging out of the truck bed, wrap the ends in stretch cling wrap. This will hold the pieces together and reduce the risk of wood shivers or broken pieces from flying out of the truck bed. Attach a red flag on the end of your wrapped pieces of wood, as well.
Drive Safely
No matter how your load is secured, you must still drive your truck in a safe, legal manner to avoid accidents and the loss of your lumbar.
Driving over the speed limit is against the law. However, driving over the speed limit when hauling a load in your truck bed is not only against the law, but it is also dangerous.
Excess speed combined with excess weight in your truck bed requires a longer amount of time and braking power to stop the vehicle. For safe transport, drive slow and allow extra space between your truck and other vehicles. This will allow you sufficient time and space for stopping your truck.
You should also make sure your tires are in good condition. Low air pressure and poor tread can reduce your truck's ability to grasp the road. Hauling heavy loads of lumbar in a truck with low air pressure and poor quality tread can be very dangerous.
Use an air pressure gauge to check the pressure and add air if necessary. Use the quarter test to determine if your truck's tires have sufficient tread. Place a quarter head down in between the tread of your tires. If part of George Washington's head is covered, you have enough tread on your tires.
Other vehicles on the road may see you are driving slow, but they may not understand why. Consider turning on your hazard lights while on the road with a heavy load. This will notify others that you are going slow for safety concerns.
Hauling wood and other heavy, bulky items in your truck is possible, but proper preparation and safe driving is essential. With this guide, you will understand the safest way to transport pieces of lumbar in your truck.
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