A Queensland innovation that can prevent the horrific accidents caused by loose ladders on our roads is set to save lives and dramatically increase driver safety.
The Claw, a simple and effective way of securing ladders to vehicles for safe travel, is the brainchild of Chris Renouf who witnessed a tragic accident on the M1 motorway on his way to Brisbane.
“A tradie’s extension ladders came loose in front of me, and they were like missiles before hitting the road and separating, spreading across four lanes of traffic travelling at 110kph,” Chris said.
“It was catastrophic and fatal, and the event still affects me to this day.
“Since then, I’ve been wrestling with the idea of how to prevent this problem, and during the Covid lockdown when I had spare time, I set about creating a solution.”
Unsecured loads, especially ladders, are a major cause of accidents around the world with the US alone experiencing almost 1,000 deaths and nearly 20,000 injuries each year.
While there are no Australian statistics as most instances of ladders falling from vehicles are never reported, there is dashcam footage and anecdotal reports shared to social media almost every week.
“Through trial and error and hours of design, I created The Claw, a ‘safety first design’ with the ability to quickly secure ladders on vehicle roof racks and transport them safely,” Chris said.
“It’s the quickest installation of any ladder securing device currently in the marketplace and is compatible with all different ladder types, sizes, and roof rack configurations.
“The Claw also acts as a terrific security device to stop ladder theft, a welcome additional benefit especially with tradie ladders costing thousands of dollars.”
The Claw is being manufactured in Australia by injection mould specialists AMEC Plastics on the Gold Coast and is gearing up for production in early November backed by a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.
With over a million tradesmen commuting with ladders daily, The Claw is a much-needed solution tailored specifically for the unique challenges faced by tradies and anyone transporting ladders.
About us:
To pre-order or for more information visit www.ladderlocker.com.au.
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For all media enquiries contact Melinda Burton on 0400 740 067 or [email protected]