Farm and Road Safety Experts Urge Truck and Trailer Operators to Secure Their Load

Posted: Apr 15, 2026

Photo Source: U.S. Department of AgricultureFarm equipment roadway crashes most often occur with tractors, planters, combines and other large machinery. Farm trucks and trailers, given their size, weight and speed, are also at risk. Safety experts advise ensuring trucks and trailers are in good operating condition, clearly marked with required lighting and loaded securely.

"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."

Loads such as seed, fertilizer, equipment and haybales are subject to vibration, swaying, centrifugal force, inertia, wind and other forces during transit. Johnson says 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," says Johnson.

"Farmers do get relief from some regulations, but the regulations that cover load securement aren't among them," says North Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper Joshua Anderson, truck safety expert. Those regulations are set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Bulk materials such as manure, seed and fertilizer that are not confined in containers should be contained in a vehicle and covered to prevent them from falling onto the roadway, says Anderson. For other cargo, such as seed bags and hay bales, load securement regulations are based on weight and length. Anderson provides the following guidance:

• Half the article's weight must be accounted for in the working load limit (WLL) of the securement devices. For example, when hauling 3,000 pounds of hay bales, the WLL of the devices used (such as straps or chains) must be equal to half that weight, or 1,500 pounds. If the WLL is not marked on the device, federal regulations provide WLLs for multiple types of tie-downs.
• The WLL calculation also depends on the number of sides of the vehicle/trailer to which the securement device is attached. If it is attached to both sides, credit is given for the device's entire WLL. If the device attaches to only one side of the trailer (such as a chain on a piece of equipment looped through a ring and back to the same side), credit is given only for half of the WLL.
• Multiple cargo items loaded side by side (such as three round bales) can be secured with the same tie-down, but the weight of all three must be accounted for in the load limit calculation.
• If the article is shorter than 5 feet or less than 1,100 pounds, a single tie-down is sufficient. Two tie-downs are required for items (a) 5 feet long or less and more than 1,100 pounds, and (b) 5 feet to 10 feet long. For every additional 10 feet (or fraction thereof), add another tie down. For example, a 24-foot load requires four tie-downs: two for the first 10 feet, one for the next 10 feet and one for the last 4 feet. A trailer loaded with hay bales would likely require two straps on the front stack and one on each subsequent stack - Anderson says any trailers on the highway with just the front and rear stacks strapped aren't legal.
• With structures like a headache rack or gooseneck hitch to prevent forward movement, only one tie-down is required for every 10 feet. However, ensure the cargo does not extend above the protective structure. This problem often occurs on gooseneck trailers when bales or other cargo are stacked above the gooseneck.

Purdue University Extension provides in-depth instructions for securing all kinds of loads, as well as specific guidance on securing hay bales for transport.

"It's easy to think that a load is secured 'good enough' for a short haul or convenience," Johnson says. "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."

Johnson says it is also important that securement straps and chains are in good condition. Straps that are frayed, punctured, partially cut or extremely weathered will have a dramatically reduced load limit and will be flagged as a violation by law enforcement.

Del Peterson, a safety expert with the NDSU Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, notes that farmers and ranchers should be aware of load restrictions along their routes.

"Those seasonal weight restrictions protect roads from damage when they are most susceptible in the spring," says Peterson. "On rural gravel roads, ignoring weight restrictions could result in trucks and trailers becoming stuck, with possible damage to the roadway or the equipment."

Peterson also notes that many rural bridges are posted for low load capacities.

"Some of those bridges are approaching 100 years old and were never designed for the loads that we now regularly see," says Peterson. "Add to that the wear and tear they've seen over the years, and you can see why the weight limits are low. Find an alternate route."

Additional state load restriction information can be found on the North Dakota Department of Transportation website.

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Article originally published by NDSU Agriculture Communication
Extension and Ag Research News