If you are planning on purchasing a real Christmas tree this holiday season, AAA has a few tips to ensure you bring it home safely.
First readers are urged to come prepared to pick out a tree by bringing strong rope or nylon ratchet straps, an old blanket and gloves. These items can help ensure the safety of the vehicle, tree and yourself.
AAA says the safest way to bring home a tree is to tightly tie it down to the top of a vehicle that is equipped with a roof rack.
To help make the tree easier to transport and prevent damage to your vehicle, ask the lot to wrap the tree in nylon netting. Any loose branches can be secured with additional rope to prevent damage to the tree. You can also protect your vehicle from scratches further by laying down an old blanket or towel on the roof before tying the tree down.
After taking preventative safety measures to protect your vehicle, the AAA says that the tree should be tied down with the trunk facing the front of the car. If the car does not have a roof large enough to do this, the organization recommends placing the tree inside the car instead.
In order to secure the tree, tie it down at its bottom, center and top using strong rope or nylon ratchet straps. The agency says to 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. This is to prevent any side-to-side or front-to-rear movement.
After securing the tree, AAA recommends performing a “Tug Test” by giving the tree several strong tugs from various angles to make sure it is secured in place and will not come loose.
Finally, as you drive your tree home, remember to drive slowly and take backroads when possible. Higher speeds can make transporting the tree more difficult and you may risk damage to the tree or your vehicle.
In a previous AAA study, the organization found that one in five real Christmas tree buyers reported having a tree fall off or out of their vehicle while trying to transport it.
The agency also found that each year, unsecured trees have led to vehicle damages that cost up to $1,500 to repair.
“Nothing will make you say, ‘bah humbug’ faster than losing the tree you just bought on the drive home,” Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman, AAA – The Auto Club Group, said. “If not properly secured, a tree can damage your vehicle or worse, fly off and become a danger to other drivers. Before you purchase your tree, please make sure to research the proper way to transport it or ask a professional to secure it for you.”
