Summer vacation is almost here. But before you load up the car Chris Olsen is on your side with packing tips to avoid disaster.

Heather Storey was likely killed by an unsecured laptop when her car was hit by a tow truck in 2009,

Storey's mother, Marilyn, says the laptop turned into a deadly projectile which struck her daughter in the head and neck. It was a tragedy the family hopes others can avoid.

"It's been hard since she's been gone. We really miss her," she said.

Consumer Reports' David Champion says loose objects in a car can pose a serious danger.

"In a crash, just imagine something like this being thrown at you at 30 miles an hour. It's going to really hurt or could be fatal," he said.

Champion has a number of tips to pack your car safely.

"Anything heavy that might become a projectile in a car should be actually stowed underneath or strapped down. With heavy objects, you need to put them as far forward as you can and then strap them down," he said.

Once items are secured, place softer objects on top. And you should avoid packing anything on the roof of an SUV.

"SUVs have a higher center of gravity than a sedan. If you load anything on the roof of an SUV you actually raise the center of gravity higher, making it more likely to roll over in a crash," he said.

Also check how much weight your vehicle can carry safely. For example, a Honda Element isn't supposed to carry more than 675 pounds.

"You take three buddies fishing you better not catch anything because that 675 pounds is likely to be just the four adults," Champion said.

While organizing your car's contents can take some time, the Storey family found it can be the difference between life and death.

To find out how much weight your vehicle can safely carry, check the owner's manual.

Remember anything loose in a vehicle is a potential projectile, including that portable DVD player your kids are watching.

Consumer Reports says once you are done packing, it's a good idea to do a test right in your driveway or neighbourhood. Start up slowly and then hit the brakes suddenly to see if anything shifts.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen.