You intend to drive a truck for the purpose of transporting goods. Are you obliged to make sure that the transported cargo is properly secured?
Show the correct answer
Correct answer
A. Yes, you have to check the safety and correctness of cargo positioning.
Explanation
In the photo a timber transport combination - a tractor unit with a stake semi-trailer - is loaded with logs, and a crane is still standing over the load. Before you set off on your journey, you must check that the load is secured and correctly positioned - answer A.
The Road Traffic Act requires a load to be placed so that it does not affect the stability of the vehicle and does not make driving difficult, and to be secured against changing position, with the securing devices secured against loosening and falling off. It is the driver who is responsible for what they are carrying, so the excuse that other people did the loading (answer C) changes nothing - during a roadside check the driver may be penalised for a badly secured load, no matter who loaded it. Checking only when in doubt (answer B) is not enough either, because a loose strap or shifted logs can often only be seen when you walk carefully around the vehicle. With timber you check the stakes, the straps or chains, and whether any log sticks out beyond the permitted dimensions.
Legal basis: Art. 61 para. 2, 3 and 4 of the Road Traffic Act (Prawo o ruchu drogowym)