I think that a load can be secured well with chain&binder, strap ratchets, cable ratchets, and even with rope. The trick is that the person securing the load has to know what he's doing, and must pay attention. Another trick is that you have to have a safety tie that is there to prevent the load from doing anything disasterous AFTER the primary binder has let go. That's what the safety chains on a trailer are for, and a rolling load like a car on a trailer should have something similar. Hooks are quick, but screw-shackles don't come loose.
I'm sure that everyone knows this, but the center of weight on a trailer has to be far enough forward so that the tongue is weighted. How much? It depends on lots of factors, including how many axles are on the trailer. But the certain sign that the tongue is too light is the trailer weaving.