Wheel chocks

Wheel chocks for trucks and vans: Stay stationary!

Switch off the engine, apply the handbrake and the transport vehicle is at a safe standstill? Legislators take a different view, and have therefore made chocks mandatory in transport logistics. Rightly so: When loading and unloading goods or on particularly uneven surfaces, a vehicle can start rolling faster than you would like it to. Wheel chocks are a quick and easy remedy.

Which, and how many, wheel chocks do I have to take along?

All vehicles with a permissible total weight of 4 tonnes and more must carry wheel chocks. For each two-axle trailer weighing 750 kg or more, they must also be taken along. A tractor unit must have two wheel chocks on board, and two more per trailer or semi-trailer.

In principle, the nominal size of the wedges must suit the wheel diameter and they must be easily accessible in a holder provided for this purpose, while being firmly anchored at the same time. You will find detailed information in §41 of the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations.

Trucks are also checked in accordance with these regulations. If defects in the material or the wrong number of wheel chocks are found during this check, the driver is initially liable – as is also customary when it comes to load securing.

For this reason, your transport staff should always be encouraged to check the way the load is secured using a clearly structured checklist before starting the journey. In an emergency, this saves high costs and delivery delays.

Plastic or metal: Which material for wheel chocks?

Both variants have their advantages and disadvantages: Plastic is very tyre and road-friendly, and also inexpensive. However, load capacity and material resistance are limited. Metal has a clear advantage here, however costs more, in turn, and causes greater wear on the road and the tyre material.

As is always the case when it comes to load securing: Take a look at the regulations and be sure to select the exact wheel chocks suitable for the vehicle and load. For very compact cars or vans, plastic wheel chocks are usually sufficient; there is basically no alternative to metal for a semi-trailer truck.

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