DIY Cargo Cover

External distraction causes 4 percent of crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Properly securing cargo on top of a vehicle or in the back of a truck is an essential task to avoid distractions while driving. Various cargo carriers and covers are available for purchase, but using a tarp to make your own homemade cargo cover is simple, inexpensive and safe.

Things You'll Need

• Poly Tarp
• Bungee Cords
• Rope

Instructions

1. Measure the cargo area. For truck beds, measure the length and width of the cargo area and add 12 inches to each side. If the cargo is very large add enough length to the measurement to cover the cargo fully. Cargo, which will be on top of a car, needs to have a tarp which will fit underneath the cargo and wrap around the top. For car top cargo areas, double the length of the tarp.

2. Find the securing points to attach bungee cords to. On a truck bed, there should be several hooks or latching points to secure cargo on both sides of the truck. For securing cargo on top of a car look around the cargo bars to see if there are hooks or of you will need to wrap bungee cords around the cargo bars to secure the cargo.

3. Load cargo with the poly tarp. Load truck cargo into the bed of the truck before placing the tarp over the cargo. For cargo on top of a car, it is necessary to lay the tarp down first then load the cargo onto the top of the car.

4. Cover the cargo. For truck cargo, it is necessary to tuck the tarp in around the cargo in any spots where the tarp is too large. When covering the cargo on the roof of a car, the tarp needs to wrap from bottom to top in the front of the car to avoid weather and wind damage to the cargo. Tuck the edges of the tarp under the cargo on top of the car.

5. Secure the tarp with bungee cords. Hook one end of the bungee cord to a securing hook and stretch the cord to the opposite side of the truck bed or cargo area of the vehicle. If there are no securing hooks, wrap the bungee around the cargo bar and secure the bungee cord to itself before stretching to the opposite side of the cargo. Secure all sections of the cargo with bungees. Add vertical and horizontal bungees when possible for added security of the cargo.

Tips & Warnings

• Use additional rope ties will help further secure the cargo load and keep the tarp in place.

• Avoid distractions while driving, if the cargo does not feel totally secure, reapply the bungee cords or add additional rope to the cargo area.

References

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Traffic Safety Facts: An Examination of Driver Distraction as Recorded in NHTSA Databases
• Tarps Plus: Learn More About the Different Tarps Available Here