Is it okay if the trunk of a sedan cannot be closed due to items inside?

[DiGavin]

No, it is not okay because an unclosed trunk may pose a risk of items falling out, potentially creating road hazards and affecting the safety of vehicles behind. Generally, if caught, you may receive a warning or education. However, if larger hazardous items are involved, it may result in point deductions and fines. The following items should not be stored in the trunk for extended periods: 1. CDs. The main material of CDs is polycarbonate, which contains a large amount of bisphenol A, a toxic chemical. When the car temperature exceeds 60 degrees Celsius, this substance can easily diffuse into the air, causing air pollution inside the car. Excessive intake can lead to chronic poisoning, particularly damaging the nervous and circulatory systems, and adversely affecting children's intellectual development. 2. Carbonated drinks. Bottled carbonated drinks can also produce harmful substances under high temperatures. Additionally, the carbon dioxide in these drinks can expand under heat, potentially causing the packaging to rupture. 3. Disposable lighters. Many smokers habitually toss their lighters onto the dashboard after lighting a cigarette, unaware that this poses a significant safety hazard in the summer. Under sunlight, the liquid butane in lighters can expand, increasing internal pressure. Combined with the jostling and collisions during driving, this can easily cause the lighter to explode.

[StTessa]

I've been driving for over a decade and always prioritize safety details. A trunk that won't close properly is absolutely unacceptable—it's a huge hazard while driving. If the trunk is packed too full and the lid can't latch shut, hitting a bump at high speeds could cause the entire lid to flip up and smash into the rear windshield. Worse yet, if there's luggage or tools in the trunk and you have to brake suddenly, they could fly out and hit the car behind you—and you'd be fully liable. Even if you try to secure it with ropes, the increased wind resistance will spike fuel consumption and damage the paint. I made this mistake once when hauling Lunar New Year goods, and the box fell out, nearly causing a rear-end collision. Now, I always measure the trunk space before loading and would rather make an extra trip than take the risk.

[DiAlice]

My family runs a small commodity wholesale business and we often use sedans to transport goods. We've encountered the issue of the trunk not closing properly several times, and from personal experience, it's really dangerous. Especially when driving on expressways, the loosely closed trunk lid gets rattled by the airflow, which is not only annoying but also causes the car to sway. What's more troublesome is that rain and dust seep in through the gaps, ruining the goods and causing significant losses. Traffic police will also stop you and issue a ticket because improper loading is a violation. My suggestion is to either load less or unpack the goods. If that's not possible, consider folding down the rear seats to make space for the cargo. Safety should always come first.

[SanJaxon]

I remember learning about this in a traffic regulations course. The trunk lid must be fully closed to be legal; having it partially open is considered illegal modification. An open trunk can obstruct the license plate and brake lights, making it difficult for vehicles behind to see your warning lights, which increases the risk of rear-end collisions. Additionally, if cargo extends beyond the vehicle body by more than 30 centimeters, it violates regulations, with penalties including 3 demerit points and a fine. Safety hazards also arise when turning, as heavy items in the trunk can shift due to inertia, potentially causing loss of vehicle control. Therefore, if the trunk won’t close properly, it’s best to reorganize the items inside.

[JulietMarie]

When doing outdoor sports, I often need to carry equipment, and I've suffered from not being able to close the trunk properly. Once, when transporting a kayak, the poles were too long and prevented the trunk lid from closing completely. As a result, while passing under a bridge, there was a loud 'thud' and the trunk lid got dented. The repair shop said fixing the hydraulic struts would cost several thousand, which was much more expensive than the shipping fee. Later, I learned my lesson and now always measure the dimensions with a tape measure before loading long items. If they exceed the trunk depth, I simply remove the rear seats. Now, when shopping, I also calculate the trunk capacity in advance and opt for delivery service when buying large furniture. I hope these experiences can help you.

[ODylan]

Last time when helping a friend move, I encountered this tricky situation. Came up with a temporary solution: first pressed down hard on the items, then used a sturdy luggage strap to diagonally tie the trunk to the rear bumper as an emergency measure. But special attention must be paid to forming an X-shape with the strap to prevent it from coming loose mid-journey. Had to keep the speed under 60 mph and slowed down well before turns. Ended up borrowing a cart from the nearest supermarket to make two trips, avoiding the risk of a long-distance drive. This was just a stopgap though - later inspection revealed scratches along the trunk lid edges. The key is really controlling the load capacity, and if that's not possible, just rent a van instead.