Auto shipping safety

by Gerald S | Apr 8, 2013 | Transport Tips

The biggest concerns most folks when they have to transport a vehicle are the cost to ship a car, how long it will take to ship a car and the safe delivery of their vehicle. It is an unfortunate fact of life that auto shippers sometimes have accidents. This can lead to damage of vehicles that are being shipped. The majority of these accidents are due to some human error, not an equipment malfunction.

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Auto shipping safety tips

When you book transport with a reputable car transport company accidents are very rare. It’s important to know what their safety record is and what their policy is regarding damage to vehicle during transit.

What auto transporters do to protect customers

Drive safely on America's highways and byways

The auto transport industry is one of the safest shipping industries around. According to a 2005 U.S. Department of Transportation study, there were only 4,932 fatalities involved in large truck accidents, only about 0.6 percent of which were auto transport vehicles. Transport drivers and auto transport companies receive incentives for delivering vehicles on time and completely damage-free. On the flipside, they get severe penalties for safety violations.

Car carriers also protect customers by insuring vehicles they are transporting. This insurance protects each customer’s vehicle from damage while in-transit if the damage is the fault of the auto transporter. Each transport vehicle is also legally required to have $750,000 in public liability insurance.

What customers can do to make shipping their car safer

To make your car shipping experience a safe and stress free undertaking the first thing you can do is follow all instructions from the car delivery service and by the driver that picks up and delivers your vehicle. Remember, safety begins with you.

These simple checks can help prevent damage to your vehicle while in transport:

Push the rear view mirrors in towards the car so they’re not sticking out — they can get damaged during loading or unloading.
Lower or remove antennae and any other item that sticks out from the profile of the vehicle.
Check convertible or other soft vehicle covers like those found on jeeps for even the tiniest tears. These tears can become gaping holes due to wind exposure during transport. If you can’t get the tears repaired prior to your transport pick up date then duct tape can help seal holes until you can find a more permanent solution.
Make sure vehicle has only 1/4 tank of fuel or less.
Check your trunk for any loose items such as gas cans, tool boxes, or jacks. Also remove valuables, personal items, weapons, and prescription drugs prior to loading the vehicle. If you can’t send something through the postal mail you probably can’t leave it in a vehicle for an auto shipment.
Make sure there aren’t any fluid leaks(oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, power steering fluid, etc.), as these may damage other cars on the auto transport trailer if they drip on them.
If you transporting a valuable vehicle like a classic, exotic car, or rare vehicle, you may want to use an enclosed trailer instead of an open air carrier. An enclosed trailer will keep your vehicle safer from wind, weather, and other road hazards. An car delivery service can recommend further services to help keep your vehicle safe.

Auto shipping is probably the safest way to transport your car from point A to point B, and is much safer than driving it yourself. Look for customer testimonials on either the auto shippers site or on customer review sites regarding the company your are considering hiring to ship your car. A good auto transport company will take care of you car and deliver it quickly, safely, and on time.