Farm and road safety experts from North Dakota State University Extension and Ag Research News urged on Apr. 15 that farm truck and trailer operators ensure their loads are properly secured to prevent accidents on rural roads.
This issue is important as unsecured loads can lead to roadway hazards, injuries, or equipment damage, especially during busy planting and growing seasons when large machinery is often in use.
“In the rush of a spring planting season and the summer growing season, the focus is on field equipment,” said Angie Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension farm and ranch safety specialist. “Unfortunately, trucks and trailers can become something of an afterthought.” Johnson said that improper load securement is common: “If those loads aren’t properly secured, they may topple onto the roadway, slide forward into the cab or fall backward off the truck or trailer.”
North Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Anderson explained that farmers do not receive exemptions from federal regulations regarding load securement set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Anderson provided detailed guidance for securing various types of cargo based on weight, length, number of tie-downs required, working load limits (WLL), and special considerations for certain trailer designs. He emphasized that trailers with only front and rear stacks strapped are not legal if additional stacks remain unsecured.
Del Peterson from NDSU Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute advised awareness of seasonal weight restrictions to protect roads: “Those seasonal weight restrictions protect roads from damage when they are most susceptible in the spring,” Peterson said. He also highlighted concerns about older rural bridges: “Some of those bridges are approaching 100 years old and were never designed for the loads that we now regularly see… Find an alternate route.” Additional information about state load restrictions is available through the North Dakota Department of Transportation website.
Johnson reminded operators about equipment condition: “It’s easy to think that a load is secured ‘good enough’ for a short haul or convenience… But if you need to make a quick maneuver to avoid a road hazard or if you need to make a sudden stop, that’s when having that load properly secured is essential.” She added that worn straps or chains could be flagged as violations by law enforcement.
North Dakota State University Extension and Ag Research News supports rural communities across North Dakota by promoting sustainable agriculture practices according to its official website. The organization functions as part of North Dakota State University according to its official website, focusing on education, research, extension services in agriculture according to its official website, providing undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture-related fields according to its official website, operating throughout North Dakota according to its official website within the agriculture and natural resources sector according to its official website.
