News Releases

PHOENIX (June 6, 2024) — From 2018 to 2022, 32 people died on Arizona highways due to unsecured loads. In 2022* alone, there were 1,100 crashes and nine fatalities related to dangerous debris in our state. The national statistics are equally sobering: In 2022, there were nearly 900 deaths, more than 17,000 injuries and over 68,000 property damage only crashes. 

All of these crashes could have been prevented if drivers had just taken a few minutes to properly secure or maintain their vehicles. 

On Thursday, June 6, state and regional agencies hosted a news conference to remind drivers to ensure their vehicle is safe before setting out on the highway, including a video demonstration with tips on how to properly tie down or cover a load. 

Representatives from the Maricopa Association of Governments, which implements Don’t Trash Arizona; the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety; the Arizona Department of Public Safety; the Arizona Department of Transportation; and the father of an Arizona road debris victim presented a proclamation by Governor Hobbs declaring June 6, 2024, as Arizona Secure Your Load Day, in keeping with a national observance. 

“A few extra minutes of preparation can prevent a lifetime of regret caused by a debris-related collision,” said Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn, chair of the Transportation Policy Committee. “These crashes are preventable by securing your load and properly maintaining your vehicle.” 

Jesse Torrez, director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, shared personal stories of tragedies he witnessed while serving as a state highway patrolman. “We hope the tips we share will show just how easy it is to take that few extra minutes to make sure your cargo is safe.”

Lieutenant Colonel Deston Coleman, head of the Highway Patrol Division for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said more than 600 drivers were stopped for unsecured loads on state highways in 2023 alone, and more than 200 so far this year.

“The dangers to motorists are substantial, and there is an additional threat to first responders and highway workers when they have to enter traffic to remove the items. These risks are completely preventable,” said Coleman.

Arizona Department of Transportation Director of Transportation Systems Management and Operations Brent Cain said ADOT is often amazed at the objects that end up on the freeway.

“We often remove extremely large items such as furniture, refrigerators, even hot tubs and toilets,” says Cain. “Items that tumble onto freeways can severely damage vehicles that are moving at freeway speeds and can be deadly for the people in those vehicles."

The national recognition date of June 6 holds tragic significance for Arizona father Paul Reif, whose 29-year-old son Matthew was killed on that date in 2006. Reif has been dedicated to communicating the importance of securing vehicle loads, and he helped secure the national recognition of Secure Your Load Day.

“No one should have to experience the senselessness of losing someone to an unsecured load,” said Reif. “Secure your load as if everyone you love is in the car behind you.”

Maintenance activities like litter sweeping and pickup are funded through the dedicated half-cent sales tax for transportation, which will expire in 2025 unless funding is extended in November.