This guideline applies to light commercial vehicles up to a permissible gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 7,5 t in accordance with Section 3.1, irrespective of whether they are equipped with a panel body, box body or platform, and also applies to hitched-on trailers. This guideline is intended for the use of consignors, carriers, shippers, vehicle owners, vehicle operators (drivers) and such persons as the law, ordinances, contracts or other codes of practise make responsible for securing the load and for safe transportation. Their areas of responsibility derive from national regulations, statutory provisions and also from the corresponding legislation and regulations in other countries in the case of international transportation and also comply with accepted engineering practice. A comprehensive treatment of every case has to be ruled out on account of not only the wide variety of vehicle types, of auxiliary materials and of their possible combinations in use but also the large number of different load-securing methods. For this reason, means of securing loads which are demonstrably equivalent or which provide better load securing can also be used. The person responsible must ensure that loadsecuring measures are correctly dimensioned, combined and implemented for the specific individual case. Endangerment of individuals or impairment of vehicle driving characteristics must be prevented. Manufacturer's information regarding permitted applications and strengths of the vehicle bodies and also of securing aids for loads must be observed. Information on auxiliary materials and equipment for making up load units, such as stretch film, shrink-wrapping film or strapping tape, will be found in guideline series VDI 3968. This guideline does not apply to transportation by rail, sea or air nor does it apply to combined modes of transportation where special provisions apply; for example, guideline VDI 2700 Part 7 or the cargo securement regulations of Railion Deutschland AG. In such cases, upon transfer to the other carrier, the load may need to be resecured appropriately. The foundations of the present guideline are VDI 2700 and the guideline series VDI 3968.