What safety precautions should be taken when jacking up a vehicle?

When jacking up a vehicle, one of the most important safety precautions is to scotch the wheels. This practice involves placing wheel chocks or blocks in front of or behind the wheels that remain on the ground to prevent the vehicle from rolling. It is essential because even a small incline can cause a vehicle to move unexpectedly, leading to dangerous situations for anyone working underneath or near the vehicle.

Scotching the wheels provides stability and assurance that the vehicle will remain secure during the jacking process. This is particularly crucial since a vehicle lifted without proper wheel scotch could shift or roll off the jack, which might cause serious injury or damage.

While other safety measures, like ensuring the engine is off and removing occupants from the vehicle, are important, scotching the wheels directly addresses the risk of the vehicle moving unexpectedly, which is a primary concern when lifting a vehicle for maintenance or repair. Using only one jack stand is unsafe and doesn’t provide the necessary support for the vehicle, which increases the risk of accidents.