Cargo Cover and Passenger Safety

[Threev8s]

My wife does not like using the the Cargo Cover in her ’14 Limited, but I told her she should use it as a safety measure to help prevent projectiles from flying in the event of a collision. Am I being too optimistic to think that it will make any difference? I understand that the best way would be to fasten everything down, but I know she is not going to do that. I know the 5th gen cargo cover is not the most substantial cover and it’s not the easiest to set (4th Gen cargo cover is much better in my opinion), but do you think there is there any advantage to using it in terms of safety?

 

[Stifler]

are you carrying bricks or broken glass? I would focus more on driving better lol

 

[T4RDriver]

Loose cargo is lethal in a crash. The cargo cover is just that - a cover to conceal. It isn't designed to retain anything as the rear retainers are just soft flexible rubber. A cargo net fixed to the attachment points on the floor works pretty well though.

 

[MarkinWMich]

Rear cargo cover in a roll-over accident

Anything not secured in the vehicle can be a projectile. Something of little weight being flung with a lot of force can easily injure or kill someone.

This is my totalled 2010 Rav4. Hit broadside at 55mph. Tossed it in the air like a Frisbie and landed on it's roof. We did not have the rear cargo shade open, but notice the floor cargo hatch, under the carpet.

My son was driving. He was hit in the shoulder with a DC-to-AC convertor...bruised him up pretty badly...could have just as easily split his head open. In the rear seat...my small floor jack that was flung out of it's plastic case. Both of these objects were originally in the rear floor cargo hatch. If that jack hit him, or there were rear passengers, it would have been real bad.

 

[MarkinWMich]

I am seriously thinking of using something like this plastic cargo chest, then securing it down with a cargo net. Both my vehicles, the 2006 4Runner and my 2013 Rav4 currently have #$%^ thrown into a laundry basket in the rear cargo area. Right now, I am feel pretty F'ing stupid, especially since having nearly lost my teenage son. I will have to check the measurements in the vehicles and do some shopping today.

 

[Threev8s]

Anything not secured in the vehicle can be a projectile. Something of little weight being flung with a lot of force can easily injure or kill someone.

This is my totalled 2010 Rav4. Hit broadside at 55mph. Tossed it in the air like a Frisbie and landed on it's roof. We did not have the rear cargo shade open, but notice the floor cargo hatch, under the carpet.

My son was driving. He was hit in the shoulder with a DC-to-AC convertor...bruised him up pretty badly...could have just as easily split his head open. In the rear seat...my small floor jack that was flung out of it's plastic case. Both of these objects were originally in the rear floor cargo hatch. If that jack hit him, or there were rear passengers, it would have been real bad.

Wow, thank you for sharing and I'm glad he made it out okay. There are often strollers in the back behind my little ones, so it makes me a little uncomfortable. I think a large cargo net might be the way to go if set up so that it's easy for the mrs. to use.

 

[Swarty]

Cargo dividers are very nice!

Wow, thank you for sharing and I'm glad he made it out okay. There are often strollers in the back behind my little ones, so it makes me a little uncomfortable. I think a large cargo net might be the way to go if set up so that it's easy for the mrs. to use.

You may want to check out something like this:http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/77685-raingler-barrier-net.html

 

[raaze14]

I am seriously thinking of using something like this plastic cargo chest, then securing it down with a cargo net. Both my vehicles, the 2006 4Runner and my 2013 Rav4 currently have #$%^ thrown into a laundry basket in the rear cargo area. Right now, I am feel pretty F'ing stupid, especially since having nearly lost my teenage son. I will have to check the measurements in the vehicles and do some shopping today.

I bought a similar container from Home Depot and loaded all of my crap in it, and secured it to the floor using bungee straps to the D-rings in the cargo area. Even though I had everything in a container I didn't like the thought of the entire container possibly going airborne in a collision.