The 6 steps to loading the luggage into our automobile appropriately

Carry-on bags, carry-on size suitcases, larger suitcases, and shopping at the last minute…

When we embark on (or return from) a journey, our minds will be flooded with many ideas that will fill up our vehicle, especially if we are traveling with younger children.

Therefore, having the ability to correctly assemble such a complicated Tetris by stacking the suitcases on top of one another as if they were a single unit will improve comfort.

And protection while we are marching.

When it comes to preparing the luggage and putting it in our car, there are several helpful hints to keep in mind; however, the order in which you place the load and apply the tips has a significant bearing on the situation because it cannot be done in any other way.

As a result, we must carefully consider what items to bring along with us and which ones to leave behind.

This necessitates that we get ourselves in order well before packing our bags.

According to the findings of a research project that RACE and Goodyear collaborated on regarding long trips taken during the summertime vacation season, the criteria drivers use when organizing the trunk, in a general sense, underestimate the risk involved in an improperly loaded vehicle.

In other words, drivers disregard the risks associated with operating a loaded car and continue to use it in the same manner as they would an unladen vehicle.

But what dangers come with operating a vehicle that is overloaded? When a car is packed to its maximum capacity with luggage, it is more likely to sway in any maneuver, making the car unstable while the driver operates it.

Additionally, overloading a car has the same effect on its braking and suspension systems, which increases braking distance, and on electronic safety systems such as electronic stability control (ESP), amongst others.

For your safety: plan and place the luggage in the most optimal locations (weight distribution)

If the driver does not take the time to organize and plan the trunk’s contents properly, they run a significant risk of losing control of the vehicle due to the instability caused by the load.

In addition, if there is an accident, the bag might work against you by hitting the people inside the vehicle, making the situation even more dangerous.

You can rest assured, however, that this will occur in the worst-case scenario because, as a good driver, after reading this article, you will spend a small amount of time of your life arranging and stowing the luggage in your vehicle in the most effective manner possible.

Therefore, in addition to correctly positioning the load, the driver is responsible for adjusting his driving technique to account for the increased weight.

If you don’t change the way you drive to accommodate the importance of the vehicle, there is a risk that it will skid off the road due to the instability caused by the luggage.

Failing to do so won’t solve the problem, though, because it won’t help.

Next, we will demonstrate the proper way to load the luggage into our vehicle by walking you through the six steps involved.

Let’s get started!

1. In the beginning, filter, eliminating any unnecessary bulks.

The definition of an extra bulk does not fulfill or perform any function whatsoever. It is important to remember that adding unnecessary and heavy objects to a vehicle can alter its center of gravity and aerodynamics.

As a consequence of this change, the car will have increased resistance to the wind, but its fuel consumption may rise by 5 liters.

To provide you with an idea, keep in mind that the fuel consumed will increase by 6% for every 100 kilograms of additional weight.

Therefore, pack your bag with the necessities!

2. Large and heavy suitcases or packages placed at the bottom of the pile (as centered as possible)

The heaviest suitcases and packages should always be stored in the lower portion of the trunk, regardless of whether or not the items are particularly cumbersome.

Why? Because in this way, we will be favoring the vehicle’s center of gravity to be as close as possible to the asphalt, improving the vehicle’s stability while it is being driven.

Therefore, it is in your best interest to keep the heaviest load as low as possible, centered, and as close as possible to the rear bench; otherwise, the higher the heavy bag is, the less stability there will be during the ride, and the more you will have to adjust the speed at which you circulate.

In a nutshell, you need to ensure the load is distributed evenly and that the center of gravity is positioned as low to the ground in the trunk as possible.

Put the items that are the heaviest first in the area that is the farthest forward, and put the suitcases that are the largest and the most rigid at the very bottom of the trunk.

The remaining things need to be stacked on top.

3. Secure by securing and tying (and tying it securely) the net

Remember that the heaviest items should be placed at the bottom and middle of the pile.

The “Tetris” you have put together should be enclosed in a net, and the net should be secured to the points provided in the trunk floor itself, as this is our recommendation.

Because if the load shifts while being transported, it will hurt the vehicle’s directional control (and we would not notice).

Because the purpose of the restraint is not to change the established physical parameters (maintain the center of gravity) while the ride is taking place, the netting or spreader bars provided in the trunk should be used to secure the cargo.

This will ensure that nothing shifts out of its proper position.

4. Make sure the belts in the back are buckled

It is recommended that the seat belts be fastened if the rear seats are not occupied.

This will ensure that the backrests do not collapse in the event of an unexpected stop, allowing the luggage to enter the passenger compartment.

Suppose we are involved in an unforeseen or sudden maneuver, and the back seats give way. In that case, the luggage transforms into a veritable projectile that puts our bodies in jeopardy and puts our safety at risk.

If something unanticipated occurs, the weight of the luggage will be multiplied according to the speed and the deceleration. In other words, in the event of a head-on collision, while traveling at 80 kilometers per hour, the weight of the load would be multiplied by 50, making it a potential time bomb if it was not kept under control.

5. Make sure there aren’t any loose bulges anywhere

After all of the work has been done to distribute the weight properly, there are always some minor bulges that need to be added.

After placing the heaviest loads inside the trunk and ensuring they are distributed evenly, you feel tired.

As a result, you become less motivated to make minor adjustments to accommodate the remaining bulges.

Therefore, you decide to continue driving with them still in the back seats of the car.

Now, let us tell you that you are making a mistake that could cost you a significant amount of money: Keep in mind that the weight of the luggage is multiplied by the speed and the vehicle’s deceleration.

Moreover, in the event of a collision, a stray object, regardless of how insignificant it may be, turns into a directionless projectile that travels through the cavities inside the vehicle with a force that would be multiplied by twenty at just 50 kilometers per hour.

No matter how exhausted you are after correctly distributing the load weights in the trunk, you must place those small bulbs in the glove compartment or those departments intended for it.

As a result, we recommend that you do not leave any loose ends.

You can keep them from escaping and ensure they move as little as possible by stowing them away in the lower part of the trunk, provided they are not very big.

However, under no circumstances should you transport objects in the tray; not only will doing so reduce our visibility, but they also run the risk of being thrown out in the event of a collision or sudden stopping.

6. Leave engineering and go to the baca (luggage rack).

The fact that many drivers “find” empty spaces in the trunk, even though there are none, is a widespread practice that satisfies them for some reason that we cannot fathom.

Not only does this make the vehicle less stable while being driven, but it also makes it impossible to guarantee that the load is securely fastened.

An excellent example of this would be people who force small surfboards into the passenger compartment of a car without binding them, then post pictures to Instagram bragging about how loaded their car is while thinking they are NASA engineers.

They have no idea they are putting themselves in danger if something unexpected happens on the road, but hey, it’s all for posturing.

Install the best luggage rack that can accommodate the items you want to take with you if you cannot fit all of the items in the trunk and you still want to take them with you.

There is no joke about this. But under no circumstances should you ever put them anywhere inside the vehicle, regardless of how brilliant or audacious an idea may be.

To summarize, play Tetris in the correct order to improve your level of safety.

In a nutshell, you should make an effort to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed and that there is as much of a balance as possible between the two sides.

It is essential to properly distribute the load, beginning with the heaviest objects always being placed in the lowest part and as close to the center as possible.

Additionally, the most extensive packages should be placed at the bottom of the trunk, and then the remaining boxes should be placed on top, balancing the sides.

Keep in mind that a piece of luggage that is not securely fastened could become a projectile in the event of a collision; as was mentioned earlier, the force exerted by a package traveling at 50 kilometers per hour could be multiplied by anywhere from 20 to 50 in the event of a collision.

In the event of a crash, this indicates that a backpack weighing a harmless three kilograms has the potential to become an object weighing more than one hundred kilograms.

In light of this, place a protective net over the items and fasten it to the anchors on the trunk floor.

Ensure that nothing is left hanging loose inside the passenger compartment.

Even the most minor things must be stored in the storage compartment. In addition, make use of additional luggage racks if there is insufficient space; under no circumstances should you attempt to create space where none exists.

You are now familiar with the proper method for loading the luggage into your vehicle whenever you are getting ready to embark on a journey.

Load it up by adhering to this battery of guidelines to improve your safety while driving and adjust your driving style to account for the increased weight. Have fun with the rest of your vacation!

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