So, we all know what we have to do before we go out for our vacation: put on our seatbelts, ensure safety for the children and numerous more. But many of us fail to observe some important, yet underestimated safety rules. Especially when it comes to luggage.

When  you use vehicles with big baggage volume, it is tempting to stow away pieces of cargo randomly. What we fail to understand is that there are some nice safety tips, that can even save a life, when it comes to placing luggage in vehicle. Remember: heavy items should go to the bottom of the trunk and should be pushed tight against the back seat. Why? Because, for example a full case of water weights 17 liters. In crash these 17 liters will turn into a half a ton of weight, banging into the back seat. In order to prevent some unpleasant games with physics, place the heaviest stuff in the bottom. And this is not all: they must be kept from sliding backward by means of other pieces of baggage or tie-downs. If not, everything could come crashing forward during the in the event of a sudden braking maneuver or an accident.

The lighter items as sports bags, beach mats and rubber boats must be stowed in a way, that fills up the empty space around the heaviest items. And you should avoid packing above the line of the back seats. This is because when you suddenly stop, or in accident these items can fly ahead and injure passengers. It is also advisable to use the baggage with cargo straps. And if there are no passengers on the back, the rear seatbelts should be closed crosswise in order to give the back seat additional stability.

Do not forget: the warning triangle, warning vest and the first-aid-kit must be stowed in a place, where they can be easily reached at any time!

Two more tips for safe vacation driving: Because of the heavier load, tire pressure has to be adjusted. Also, the weight in the rear of the car lifts the front. In order to avoid the headlights from thus blind oncoming traffic at night, the beam has to be adjusted accordingly. Only in the entry-level Captiva, however: All other Captiva models feature an automatic leveling system on the rear axle.