Real or artificial? It’s an annual debate as many Americans decorate for the holidays. For those who choose a real Christmas tree, getting the tree home safely is a lot like moving furniture, appliances or other large objects. If not properly secured, a tree can cause vehicle damage, or even worse, it could fly off or out of the vehicle and become a danger to other drivers.

AAA research shows that 44% of Americans planning to purchase a real Christmas tree would transport the tree using unsafe methods. This includes 20% who would tie the tree to the roof of their vehicle without using a roof rack and 24% who planned to place the tree in the bed of their pickup truck unsecured.

Among those who planned to purchase a live Christmas tree, 16% have previously experienced a Christmas tree falling off or out of their vehicle during transport.

If a tree is improperly secured to a car, it can cost drivers as much as $1,500 in repairs. Twine, ropes or straps can wear away paint and tear rubber seals when routed through door or window openings. Closing a door over tree tie-downs may also permanently distort the window frame and tree branches can cause scratches to the paint.

Transporting a real Christmas tree home is easy as long as you have the right tools and follow AAA’s simple tips:

• Use the right vehicle. It’s best to transport a Christmas tree on top of a vehicle equipped with a roof rack. However, if you do not have a roof rack, use the bed of a pickup truck, or an SUV, van or minivan that can fit the tree inside with all doors closed.
• Use quality tie-downs. Bring strong rope or nylon ratchet straps to secure the tree to your vehicle’s roof rack. Avoid the lightweight twine offered by many tree lots.
• Protect the tree. Have the tree wrapped in netting before loading it. If netting is unavailable, secure loose branches with rope or twine.
• Protect your vehicle. Use an old blanket to prevent paint scratches and protect the vehicle finish.
• Point the trunk towards the front. Always place the tree on a roof rack or in a pickup bed with the bottom of the trunk facing the front of the vehicle. 
• Tie it down. Secure the tree at its bottom, center and top. At the bottom, use fixed vehicle tie-down points and loop around the trunk above a lower branch, to prevent any side-to-side or front-to-rear movement. The center and top tie-downs should be installed in a similar manner.
• Give it the tug test. Before leaving the lot, give the tree several strong tugs from various directions to ensure it is secured in place and will not blow away.
•  Drive slowly and easily. Take the back roads, if possible. Higher speeds create significant airflow that can damage your Christmas tree and challenge even the best tie-down methods.

For more information about car insurance, call your AAA insurance agent, speak with an agent by calling (888) 671-7044, stop by your local branch, or AAA.com/Insurance.