Queensland law requires that your goods carried on a utility vehicle or truck are fully secured, meaning that there is no chance of them being dislodged while you’re on the road. This is to prevent accidents on the road, as a vehicle that flips or spills goods behind it can cause severe damage to injury to others. Part of these safety regulations include covering trucks with an approved safety cargo net that is load-rated, and keeping your cargo within the capacity of your vehicle. If you are caught driving with unsecured loads, you risk high fines — or penalties on your license if you are involved in a traffic violation that does damage to property.
Load Rated Cargo Nets
The load rating for a safety cargo net depends on the quality of the material and how many straps are included. Load rating is a measurement of how much weight can be secured using a particular net, and Safeguard Cargo Nets have load ratings from 1000kg to 4000kg for trucks. The weight capacity of your vehicle is called the “payload” and is how much weight you can add after the initial weight of the vehicle.
You should take an average of how much weight you are normally expected to carry. After you know this number, get a net that has at least a 250 kg higher load rating than you think you need. Using a rating lower than your actual load means you’re immediately risking the net snapping while you’re on the road, and your goods dislodging from your vehicle.
Because the load rating increases with the number of straps you have, you can consider getting a base net based on size and a couple of extra straps in case you carry an extra heavy load on occasion.
Net Size
An important factor in choosing which net you’ll need depends on the dimensions of the vehicle you use to carry cargo. Take the measurements of the width, length and height of your truck’s rigid cab, and learn the overhang capacity (how much you are allowed to have protruding from the vehicle).
Check a safety net sizing chart to see what net size is right for your truck. This will tell you which net you’ll need based on your truck’s dimensions as well as whether it is a single or a dual cab. Generally, trucks require either an X Large or XX Large net.
Using a safety cargo net is one of the best ways to secure your cargo, plus it is a legal requirement in Queensland. If you’re driving through Queensland, make sure your truck has a net that keeps your load from being dislodged on the road.
For more information about choosing your cargo net for your truck, call our Brisbane South store at 07 3208 7766 or Sunshine Coast store at 07 5479 2955 with any questions.
