Q&A - Tying Down ATVs

The best reference that I have found for cargo securement information is on the Commercial Vehicle Safety & Enforcement site.

In the document titled Guidance and Interpretation - General I found this advice for securing light vehicles:

NSC Standard 10 requires the vehicle to be restrained (at both the front and rear) from moving sideways, forward, rearward and vertically using a minimum of 2 tiedowns.

Division 4 of that document explains about tiedowns and begins with this statement:

On and after January 1, 2010, a person shall not use a tiedown or a component of a tiedown to secure cargo to a vehicle unless it is marked by the manufacturer with respect to its working load limit.

Our provincial rules are found in Division 35 of the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations which adopts NSC Standard 10, but only applies it to vehicles having a GVW exceeding 5,000 kg.

However, for vehicles with a GVW of 5,000 kg or less, the general provisions still apply:

Cargo securement

35.04 Vehicles must be equipped and cargo must be contained, immobilized or secured in accordance with the applicable requirements of this Division and the Standard and so that it cannot

(a) leak, spill, blow off, fall from, fall through or otherwise be dislodged from the vehicle, or

(b) shift on or within the vehicle in a manner that affects the stability or manoeuvrability of the vehicle.

So, long story short, it appears that two tie downs are sufficient for this ATV shown as long as the working load limit is sufficient and they are applied to hold it "contained, immobilized or secured."

Applying your straps on opposite corners would only be acceptable if the ATV was parked diagonally on the trailer so that each corner attached was closest to the side of the trailer it was secured to.