regarding tie downs DANIEL LOWE 11/14/2010 @ 10:48am I don't see where more tie-downs would have had any affect on this accident. I get into this argument with the DOT. We haul 42" wide, 36" diameter sod rolls from our sod farm. Two lay end to end across a 96" truck/trailer bed and we'll haul 30-40 that way sometimes stacked two high. With the load tight against the headache rack one only needs to strap the rear pair of rolls (top and bottom if stacked two high) to secure the load. We use 4" straps with bed winches. These sod rolls weight around 1100# each, so we hold two with a 4" strap. These rolls are not slippery and slidey and hard to hang onto like hay. We, however, put straps on every other tier of rolls for looks, but it isn't really necessary because it has no safety enhancement. Some DOT guys want us to strap every roll saying that "What would happen if you roll your truck?" I've seen a picture of a semi trailer with all the rolls strapped that did a mild rollover on an exit ramp. Rolls scattered everywhere. Furthermore, a dump truck hauling rip-rap (that big stuff is over 1000# each) doesn't and can't practically strap each rock. What would happen if that truck upset? Don't get me wrong, I beleive in strapping/chaining down really obvious stuff really well. but common sense needs to come into play sometimes. Some of these steel haulers are the worst. They just litter the highway with steel and tin falling off or getting blown off and that is some pretty dangerous stuff to have flying at you no matter what you drive.