6 min reading time · Sortimo Station Essen
Load securing in a van: what you need to know
Why unsecured loads are so dangerous, what the law requires and which securing methods have proven themselves in day-to-day trade work.
Why load securing is not a nice-to-have
In a full-brake stop from 50 kph, the forces acting on the load reach a multiple of its own weight. A 20-kilo tool case becomes a projectile with several hundred kilograms of impact force — towards the bulkhead and, in the worst case, towards the driver's cab.
Then there is the legal side: Section 22 of the German Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) requires loads to be stowed and secured so that they cannot slip or fall even under emergency braking or an evasive manoeuvre. Driver and vehicle keeper are jointly responsible — with company vehicles, that includes the business itself.
The two basic principles: positive locking and friction locking
Positive locking means the load cannot move because it sits flush against something — the front wall, dividers, or between telescopic load bars. It is the fastest method in daily use because no strap has to be tensioned.
Friction locking presses the load down onto the load floor with lashing straps and thereby increases friction. What matters here are tested straps (EN 12195-2), adequately dimensioned lashing points and an anti-slip mat — it reduces the required pre-tensioning force considerably.
What works in a trade vehicle
In practice, well-equipped vehicles combine both: van racking secures tools and small parts by positive locking in drawers and case holders. For the open load space, airline lashing rails, telescopic load bars and nets ensure that changing loads are secured in seconds.
Our tip from thousands of installations: plan load securing together with the racking — retrofitting lashing points is possible, but the integrated solution is cleaner and often cheaper.