Fasten that tree, check it twice: How to keep your Christmas tree properly secured to your car

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SALT LAKE CITY — Avoid feeling like the Grinch this season by properly securing your Christmas tree after you purchase it, Utah insurance officials say.

AAA Utah is advising people to secure your tree and check it twice. About 20 million people have not properly secured their trees to their vehicles over the last three years, according to AAA.

“Although it may be an annual tradition, transporting a Christmas tree isn’t as easy as you think,” AAA Utah spokesman Michael Blasky said in an emailed statement. “Every year, drivers break the law and damage their cars by improperly securing their Christmas trees.”

Every state has a law that makes it illegal for things to fall off of cars while drivers are on the road, according to AAA. Fines for breaking that law range from $10 to $5,000, the company said.

Damage to cars from improperly secured trees can include scratched paint, torn door seals and distorted window frames, AAA said. The company offered the following tips for keeping your tree and car in good condition:

Select an appropriate vehicle: It’s best to use a car with a roof rack to transport your tree, with an old blanket underneath the tree to prevent scratches, according to AAA. If you don’t have a roof rack, use a pickup truck, an SUV or minivan that has sufficient space to haul the tree.
Tether your tree: Make sure to bring strong rope or ratchet straps to tie your tree down to your car. Secure the tree at the top, center and bottom and use fixed tie-down points on the car. It’s also a good idea to loop a rope around the car’s trunk and a lower branch to prevent any side-to-side movement. Make sure to check that the tree is securely fastened before leaving the tree lot.
Protect the branches: Wrap the tree in netting before loading it in your car. If you can’t get netting, tie down loose branches. The bottom of the tree’s trunk should always face the front of the vehicle.
Drive carefully: AAA suggests taking back roads or city streets rather than highways because driving at a high speed can damage the tree or even blow it off the roof.

Over the past four years, 200,000 crashes were due to road debris, according to AAA. About two-thirds of those were due to improperly secured items falling off a car.