Tis the season for real Christmas trees to be transported from lots across Nebraska. AAA Nebraska’s Nick Faustman says nothing will make you say ‘bah humbug’ faster than losing an unsecured tree on the drive home. “One in five buyers of live Christmas trees have reported having their tree fall off or completely out of their vehicle,” Faustman says.
He says a recent AAA survey showed 44 percent of Americans would transport the tree using unsafe methods. This includes 20% who would tie the tree to the roof of their vehicle without using a roof rack and 24% who planned to place the tree in the bed of their pickup truck unsecured.
Tips to Safely Transport Your Tree:
- Come prepared – bring strong rope or nylon ratchet straps, an old blanket and gloves.
- Wrap & Cover It – once you’ve found the perfect tree, have the lot wrap it in netting before loading it. Loose branches can also be secured with rope or twine to help protect the tree from damage.
- Protect your vehicle – before loading the tree, cover the roof with an old blanket to prevent scratches to the paint and protect the car from any damage.
- Trunk First – place the tree on the roof rack or in the bed of the truck with the tree trunk facing the front of the car. If the vehicle does not have a roof rack and is large enough – place the tree inside.
- Secure It – tie down the tree at its bottom, center and top using strong rope or nylon ratchet straps. Avoid using the nylon offered by many tree lots. Use fixed vehicle tie-down points and loop the rope or strap around the tree trunk above a branch to prevent any side-to-side or front-to-rear movement
- Tug Test – once tied down, give the tree several strong tugs from various angles to make sure it is secured in place and will not come loose.
- Nice & Easy – drive slowly and take back roads if possible. Higher speeds can create significant airflow that can damage your tree or challenge even the best tie-down methods.