Why you need to restrain your load

Just like any unrestrained person in a vehicle, loads can move forwards, backwards, sideways, and upwards:

Forward shifts are caused by braking whilst driving forward, accelerating in reverse, or downhill slopes.
Backward shifts are caused by braking in reverse, accelerating forward, or uphill slopes.
Sideways shifts are caused by cornering, or cambered roads.
Upward shifts are caused by uneven road surfaces.

The importance of following load restraint guidelines

SAFETY - Loads not restrained properly can injure or kill and can cause significant property damage:
- The load may fall off and endanger the lives of other road users.
- The load may move forwards and endager the lives of the driver or passenger.
- The load could make your vehicle unstable and cause an incident, especially when taking corners.
IT'S GOOD FOR BUSINESS - Your corporate reputation and financial position may suffer if you are involved in a load restraint incident:
- Adverse publicity.
- You may experience loss of contracts due to damaged goods.
- You may face insurance excess payments nad an increase in insurance premiums.
UNRESTRAINED LOADS MAY MOVE - Changes in speed, direction or slope may cause a load to shift:
- These forces result from normal driving conditions including braking, accelerating, cornering, road surfaces and air flow.
- The weight of a load is not enough to hold it in place. A heavy load is just as likely to fall off as a light load because the heavier the load, the higher the forces it experiences.
LAW COMPLIANCE - If you are involved in packing, loading, moving, or unloading a vehicle, you are responsible for complying with load restraint laws.

For a more comprehensive guide, please refer to the load restraint guidelines document.