Is Driving With a Christmas Tree on Your Car Safe?

According to a recent survey conducted by AAA, close to 50% of people who choose to take a fresh-cut Christmas tree home for the holiday season will either knowingly or unknowingly be placing their lives and the lives of others in danger by doing so.  

So before you become one with your inner Clark Griswold and precariously perch your pine on top of the family’s station wagon for a semi-obstructed view of the drive back home, there are some statistics that you should be aware of.

Christmas Tree Involved Accidents

As reported by the AAA safety survey, 44% of people across the United States who were planning on purchasing a live tree were fully relying on an unsafe method to get it back home. These methods included putting the tree in a truck bed without strapping it in place or resting it on the roof of a car with only a rope to secure it. 

During the past four years, AAA discovered that debris left in the roadway from live trees was responsible for more than 200,000 car accidents that caused around 39,000 injuries and 500 fatalities.

Christmas Tree Transportation Safety Tips:

Plan Ahead

Call the tree lot in advance and inquire about their hours and lot capacity. This year, you may be working against limited operating hours and fewer people being permitted on the tree lot at one time. 

Take Your Time

Be prepared to drive very slowly and, if possible, take back roads and stay off of highways and interstates. Higher speeds will create a substantial amount of airflow that could damage your tree or even blow it off your car altogether, creating ideal conditions for a serious accident.

Double-Check

Once you have your tree strapped down, pull on it repeatedly from different angles and ensure that it is secure and will not come off on your drive home, no matter the traffic or road conditions.  

Netting

If the lot offers to wrap your tree in netting, let them. This will help protect the tree on its journey and also keep any loose branches you may have missed from flying through the windshield of the car behind you. 

Be Prepared

Bring your own rope or DOT approved ratchet straps. The tree farm is not going to have them to give to you. Also bring an old blanket, gloves, and ideally, a pick-up truck or a vehicle with a roof rack.   

As with every kind of personal injury case, the endless number of variables makes your claim unique. This is just one of the many reasons why hiring a skilled attorney is beneficial to your Florida personal injury claim. Your attorney will know the most thorough and efficient way of collecting vital evidence that proves you were not at fault for the accident. Establishing this fact is essential to the success of your Tampa personal injury case.

If you have sustained injuries during any kind of accident that was caused by another person’s negligence or carelessness, there is evidence out there that will substantiate your claim. A reputable personal injury attorney from Fulgencio Law will be able to help you. Call us at (813) 463-0123 to schedule your free Tampa personal injury consultation today.