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Useful Tips for Transporting Your Christmas Tree, Courtesy of Chevrolet

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Guillaume Rivard
Don’t be like Clark Griswold!

Have you decorated your Christmas tree yet? Or are you still shopping around to buy one (which is safer and more environmentally responsible than cutting it down right out of the woods, but you decide)?

Whether it’s this weekend or the next, before you find that perfect tree, it’s important to be prepared. By that we mean properly securing the tree to your vehicle to ensure a safe return trip. You wouldn’t want to see it slide off the roof and impede your visibility or leave dangerous road debris that other drivers would have to avoid.

Here are some useful tips for transporting a tree in or on top of a vehicle, courtesy of the engineers at Chevrolet:

  • - If you’re transporting the tree inside your vehicle, make sure to lay down a tarp to keep your car clean. If you’re transporting the tree on top of your vehicle, make sure you have cross-rails installed so you can help avoid damaging the paint.
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  • - Make sure the tree is tightly bound with netting or rope before tying it to the top of the vehicle.
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  • - Place the stump end of the tree toward the front of the car to reduce aerodynamic drag and ensure a safe drive home.
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  • - Lay your tree directly overtop the available cross rails, loop twine over and around it and repeat to cinch it with a figure-eight motion to secure your tree tightly to the vehicle. This can help protect the tree from moving around while you drive.
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  • - If possible, use secondary roads and avoid highways when driving with your tree on top of the vehicle.

That being said, a vehicle like the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse offers ample interior space (with the rear seats down) to haul a Christmas tree that’s been properly tied up. Happy Holidays!

Guillaume Rivard
Guillaume Rivard
Automotive expert
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