How you pack the car for a summer trip matters as much as where you are going. Traffic authorities warn that unsecured luggage can become a dangerous projectile in a crash or under hard braking — and that badly loaded cars can be fined.
Why it matters
In a collision, loose objects keep moving at the speed the car was travelling. A suitcase that weighs 10 kg can strike with a force many times its own weight. Backpacks, cool boxes and even bags of clothes can cause serious injuries if they are not secured.
How to load the car
Fasten the rear seat belts. Even if nobody is sitting in the back, buckling the rear seat belts helps the seat backs hold firm and stops luggage in the boot being thrown forward.
Heavy items at the bottom. Place the heaviest suitcases at the bottom of the boot, as far forward as possible against the rear seats, with lighter bags on top.
Secure the load. Use straps, nets or the car’s own anchor points so that nothing can move.
Keep the view clear. Don’t pile luggage so high that it blocks the rear window or mirrors.
Keep essentials to hand. Put things you will need during the journey — water, snacks, phone charger — within reach before setting off, so you don’t need to search through bags while driving.
What the law says
Spanish traffic rules require loads to be secured so that they cannot move or fall, and so that they do not obstruct the driver’s view. Failing to do so can result in fines of between €80 and €200. If police consider a load dangerous, they can stop the vehicle until the problem is fixed.
Other points to remember
- Don’t exceed the car’s maximum authorised weight.
- A heavily loaded car takes longer to stop and accelerates more slowly, so leave more distance and take care when overtaking.
- Check tyre pressures for a loaded car, as recommended in the vehicle handbook.
- Never carry loose objects on the parcel shelf behind the rear seats.
On the Balearic Islands, where many families travel by ferry to the mainland in summer, it is also worth securing luggage properly before boarding, as ramps and car decks can cause loads to shift.
