| Living in a rural or estate area often requires the | | | | mailbox can become dislodged from the post and |
| installation of a mailbox and post, in order to | | | | fly through the window of a vehicle that has |
| receive daily mail deliveries. Most property owners | | | | crashed into the post. A mailbox post that has |
| would prefer to erect mailboxes and posts that | | | | been installed too rigidly is the second concern. A |
| are functional for the postal service and at the | | | | rigid mailbox post can create significant vehicle |
| same time esthetically conforming to the | | | | damage and therefore occupant safety concerns |
| landscape design of the property. Unfortunately, | | | | similar to a crash into an abutment. The final issue |
| these installations are not as simple as they should | | | | comes into play when multiple mailboxes for one |
| be. | | | | location have been mounted on a horizontal beam, |
| Proper installation of a roadside mailbox and post | | | | which in turn is mounted onto one or more posts. |
| requires adherence to the guidelines set by two | | | | The potential for the horizontal beam to detach |
| separate regulatory organizations. The U.S. Postal | | | | from the mailbox posts in a collision is the final |
| Service has the responsibility for the accurate and | | | | concern. If this happened, the beam could act as |
| efficient delivery of mail. The USPS therefore sets | | | | a projectile through the windows of the vehicle. |
| out guidelines for the proper installation of | | | | The mailbox post is regularly the element that is |
| mailboxes and posts. The Department of | | | | installed improperly from a safety perspective. |
| Transportation on the other hand has the | | | | The post must be erected so that it will give or |
| responsibility of ensuring that our roads are safe | | | | break on vehicle impact. Next, the mailbox needs |
| for all motorists. This responsibility translates to | | | | to be affixed to the post so as not to detach |
| the safety requirements for the installations of | | | | during vehicle impact. The instructions that come |
| mailboxes and posts. | | | | with new mailboxes typically specify the minimum |
| When most people are preparing their plans for | | | | requirements for attaching the mailbox to any |
| the installation of their mailbox and post, it is | | | | post. Lastly, with the multiple mailboxes for one |
| natural for them to look to the USPS for any | | | | location, these mailboxes should never be installed |
| rules or regulations on mailboxes and mailbox | | | | on a single horizontal platform. Each mailbox should |
| posts. Most people however are unaware that the | | | | have its own post or its own post arm. |
| U.S. Department of Transportation also has a say | | | | Although there are lots of rules and regulations to |
| in how your mailbox is installed. Just following the | | | | comply with when installing mailboxes and posts, |
| USPS guidelines may result in an improper | | | | when you step back and think about these |
| installation from a safety perspective. | | | | guidelines, they all have a basis in common sense. |
| When considering the safety of your mailbox and | | | | Make sure that you mailboxes and posts comply |
| post, there are three important considerations in | | | | with both sets of guidelines. Highway safety is |
| the transportation department guidelines. The first | | | | something that we should all take very seriously. |
| is a concern that if not correctly installed, a | | | | |