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South Dakota driving lesson · Before You Drive

Securing loads and trip planning

A 2-minute lesson from the South Dakota course. Read the rules and examples, follow the handbook page references, and check your understanding before you move on.

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Read time
2 minutes
Course unit
Before You Drive
Checkpoint questions
5
Source pages
25

An unsecured load can slide into traffic or fly off at speed, so it's both illegal and dangerous. Planning your trips well also saves money and wear on your car.

Know the rule

Driving with an unsecured load is against the law; if it causes a crash you may face a costly fine and jail time.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

Know the rule

A load is secure only when nothing can slide, shift, fall, or sift onto the roadway or become airborne.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

To secure a load:

  • Tie it down with rope, netting or straps
  • Tie large objects directly to your vehicle or trailer
  • Consider covering the entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting
  • Don't overload your vehicle or trailer
  • Always double-check the load
  • Properly secure animals too
Handbook p. 25 ↗

Trip planning to cut down on driving:

  • Take public transportation when available
  • Avoid driving in heavy traffic: extra wear on you and the vehicle
  • Use carpools or share rides
  • Plan and combine trips; list what you need and where you need to go
  • Call ahead to be sure what you need is in stock or ready
Handbook p. 25 ↗

Know the rule

The best way to prolong your car's life and save fuel is to use it as little as possible.

Handbook p. 25 ↗

Put it into practice

You're moving a mattress in a pickup. Tie it directly to the truck with straps, confirm nothing can shift or lift off in the wind, and double-check it before you drive away.

Check your understanding

Read the question, decide on an answer, then open it to check the explanation. These are Roadwise study questions based on the source handbook.

When is a load considered properly secured under South Dakota law?
  1. When it is tied with at least one rope
  2. When it weighs less than the vehicle's curb weight
  3. When nothing can slide, shift, or fall off
  4. When it is covered by any tarp, regardless of fit

Answer: When nothing can slide, shift, or fall off

A load is only considered secure when nothing can slide, shift, fall, sift onto the roadway, or become airborne.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
What can happen to a driver who fails to secure a load and causes a crash as a result?
  1. Only points on their license
  2. A written warning only
  3. A required load-safety class
  4. A costly fine and jail time

Answer: A costly fine and jail time

Drivers who fail to properly secure a load may face a costly fine and jail time if they cause a crash.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
Which of the following is a recommended way to reduce driving costs and wear on your vehicle?
  1. Run each errand as soon as you think of it
  2. Drive yourself rather than share rides
  3. Take the interstate even for short trips
  4. Combine multiple errands into a single trip

Answer: Combine multiple errands into a single trip

Trip planning, like combining errands into one trip, reduces the number of trips and cuts driving costs.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
Pets riding in your vehicle do not need to be secured the way cargo does.
  1. True
  2. False

Answer: False

When securing a load, don't forget that animals should also be properly secured.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
What is one recommended way to physically secure a large object in your vehicle or trailer?
  1. Tie it directly to the vehicle or trailer
  2. Wedge it between other cargo
  3. Place it near the tailgate
  4. Cover it with a light tarp only

Answer: Tie it directly to the vehicle or trailer

Large objects should be tied directly to the vehicle or trailer to keep the load secure.

Handbook p. 25 ↗
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