VANCOUVER – Flying Christmas trees may sound like a scene out of a Harry Potter movie, but if you haven’t tied down yours properly when transporting it home from a tree lot, it might not end as a flight of fancy.
We all know the possible perils of a dried-out tree sitting in our living room — fire departments do a good job of reminding of this every Christmas season — but getting that tree home can also end in a bad way.
“Even if it’s a short trip from the tree lot to home, motorists need to think about the safety of themselves and others, says Ken Cousin, associate vice president of British Columbia Automobile Association Road Assist. “A lot can happen in a short trip. An unsecured load can shift, making the car difficult to drive or steer, or the tree can fall or be catapulted from the vehicle endangering others.”
Cousin cites a study by the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety that estimates that vehicle-related road debris causes about 25,000 collisions and close to 100 deaths each year in North America.
Unsecured items that become debris include mattresses, home furnishings, and building materials. According to ADAC, when objects travelling at 50 km per hour come to a sudden stop, they can take on 25 times their own weight. A 30-kg tree, for example, would hit its target with the force of an object that weighs a 750 kg.
Cousin says that, contrary to popular belief, bungee cords and ropes are not the best way to secure a Christmas tree. A crash test study conducted by German Automobile Club, Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC), demonstrated that bungee cords used to secure a Christmas tree were shredded upon impact.
Instead, ratchet straps are the way to go.
“They’re becoming quite popular and are available in most hardware stores,” says Cousins, noting ratchet straps are used by many people to secure bicycles to vehicle roofs. “They are by far the safest way to transport a load and they are not going to come loose.”
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Ratchet straps are the preferred way to tie down a Christmas tree on your vehicle’s roof.
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He advises to face the tree stump forward on your roof and wrap a ratchet strap around the stump and secure the strap to your roof rack. Then do the same with another strap in the middle of the tree and at the tip of the tree.
“People may think that it’s no big deal to throw a tree or any large object on the roof or in the back of a vehicle and that nothing will happen, but they’re wrong. We encourage people to come to the tree lot prepared and ensure the tree is tightly in place before they drive away.”
Tree Transporting Tips
■ With the base of the tree facing forward, sling ratchet straps around the base, middle and tip of the tree then fasten to the roof rack. This should prevent lateral movement in the event of wind or a hard stop.
Trunk or seat back transport
■ The base of the tree, when possible, should lean up against the back seat or back-rest.
■ It should then be fastened to the trunk floor with ratchet straps. The rear door or trunk should also be secured tightly down so that it doesn’t fly open.
Tree transport driving tips
■ Stay a safe distance back from traffic and drive within the posted speed limit.
■ Use your turn signals. Ensure they’re working properly and that they can be seen.
■ Trees that extend more than one metre beyond the front of the car, or more than a half metre at the rear, must have a flag attached during the day and lamps at night. Visit Division 4.20 in the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act Regulations for details on the use of lamps or flags on front and rear projections.
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