How to Fix a Car

The winter road is a dangerous place. Thankfully, your truck is more than outfitted for the task. …Right?

If you have even the faintest sliver of doubt, now is the time to take another look at your truck’s safety. The road is a rough enough place to be without adding more to the mix, particularly since so much of it can be easily avoided. Black ice, drunk drivers, poor visibility…it’s all in a day (or night’s) work for a truck driver. Stake pocket tie downs are an indispensable piece of equipment that will ensure no load you take on will slip through your fingers. Not sure if you’re even buying the right ones?

Here’s a step-by-step list to get you caught up on common road hazards and the function of truck bed anchors.

Car Crashes Are Commonplace In America

Every time you step back out of your truck after a long drive is a good day. Car crashes are widespread in the United States, due in no small part to irresponsible behavior and a plethora of environmental factors. Thousands of crashes occur on a weekly basis, with winter being one of the roughest seasons. Vehicle negligence is a huge problem that sits right up there with drunk driving and distracted driving. How will you make sure you’re always driving as safely as possible?

Light Trucks Remain A Popular Vehicle Choice

Before we get into the benefits of stake pocket tie downs, let’s take a look at light trucks and why they’re so popular. Recent studies found light trucks (which includes the spectrum of pickups, SUVs, and vans) outselling single-passenger vehicles for the fifth straight year in a row. It jumped to a market share of nearly 65%, to boot! They’re a flexible car that fits many lifestyles, from the family that loves to camp to the business couple that is constantly moving materials in and out of the home. Owning one is a big responsibility not just for you, but other drivers on the road.

Dangerous Debris Is An Easily Preventable Hazard

You put on your seatbelt and make sure to double-check your tires before going out onto the road. Are you also making sure your truck tie downs are securely in place? Dangerous debris falling out of trucks is a major road hazard that can end in someone losing their life. AAA conducted a four year study and concluded errant debris to be either partially or entirely the cause of more than 200,000 crashes. Two-thirds of these crashes were the result of improperly secure truck cargo.

The Weakest Link Theory Is A Useful Technique

Knowing whether or not your retractable truck anchors are good to go can boil down to a little math. Don’t worry, you don’t have to dip into high school geometry to figure this out. The ‘weakest link theory’ applies to what’s known as the Working Load Limit (or WLL). If you’re using a 4,000 pound chain with a 3,000 pound hook, the system will only be as strong as the weakest link. Unmarked webbed cargo straps in very good condition are usually rated at a minimum of 1,000 pounds WLL per inch of width.

All Trucks Should Have Stake Pocket Tie Downs

If your light truck is without retractable truck anchors — or you haven’t checked them in a while — it’s time to do some homework. Dangerous debris can range from boxes to piles of wood, even the lightest of objects having the ability to block a driver’s vision and cause them to crash. Stake pocket tie downs are marked by their weight, material, and type, easy to buy and even easier to use. Always double-check them before you head out and drive, as that simple minute of care can mean the difference between life or death. Keeping extra on-hand can also be good in emergency!

The road may be dangerous, but it can be less so with a careful eye. How will you drive safe in 2019?