Road debris from unsecured loads a worsening problem in Utah, officials warn

ST. GEORGE — Debris from unsecured loads continues to be one of the leading causes of crashes on Utah roads, and officials say the problem is getting worse.

According to a Utah Department of Transportation news release issued June 30, unsecured loads and road debris cause approximately 1,800 crashes in Utah each year. Additionally, the Utah Highway Patrol has seen a 17% increase in debris-related calls over the past five years.

On average, UHP troopers across the state respond to more than 70 calls per day involving road debris, or more than 25,000 calls per year. 

Watch UHP’s own video about the hazards of roadside debris in the player above.

Throughout the month of June, UDOT crews have been collecting litter from roadways around the state. In the Salt Lake area alone, crews reportedly picked up 32,500 gallons (650 bags) of trash in June, the release also stated.

UDOT said the time the department devotes to cleaning up roadside debris and litter has increased 28% in the past five years, with current costs exceeding $2.5 million per year.

That’s in addition to the various other associated costs, including those related to medical care, vehicle damage and repair, investigation and insurance. 

Part of a portable cooling unit sits in the center median of Interstate 15 near New Harmony, Utah, after two cars struck it late in the evening of Aug. 1, 2020 | File photo taken Aug. 4, 2020 by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Last August, after a portable evaporative cooler that had fallen off a vehicle on Interstate 15 led to a crash that injured two people and damaged two vehicles, UHP Lt. Shawn Judd told St. George News road debris from unsecured loads continues to be “a fairly substantial contributor to crashes that we investigate around the state.”

“This is something that we encounter quite frequently,” Judd said. “It’s a very dangerous situation. It’s dangerous for drivers. It’s dangerous for us to have to go out there and try to either do a slowdown or wait for a break in traffic to be able to remove the item from the roadway. It’s just a very hazardous situation.”

According to UHP, another such incident occurred the evening of June 29 in the northern Utah community of Kaysville, when a catering company reportedly lost a load of canvas bags that fell onto Interstate 15, leading to a multiple-vehicle collision that killed two people and injured three others.

John Gleason, UDOT’s public safety information officer, said large items such as ladders, mattresses and appliances frequently make it onto the state’s roadways. “This is a pile of ugly garbage and dangerous road debris our UDOT crews have collected in Salt Lake County just this month. Unsecured cargo has played a factor in four fatalities since last week on Utah roads. We’re asking everyone to do their part to keep our roads clean and safe.”

“It’s the last thing in the world that you’re expecting to see when you’re out there on the road to see a refrigerator or a ladder in your lane,” Gleason told St. George News. “It’s really hard sometimes to take evasive maneuvers when you’re traveling at 70 miles per hour. Because if you do, then you have the potential of overcorrecting and rolling your car, and sometimes that’s what happens.”

Additionally, Gleason said that many drivers erroneously think it isn’t necessary to tie down their load if they are only transporting it a short distance.

Debris collected over a one-month period along a five-mile stretch of Interstate 15 near Lehi, Utah, June 2020 | Photo courtesy of Utah Department of Transportation, St. George News

“So many people think, ‘I’m just driving a couple miles away; this isn’t going to fall out of my truck or ‘I don’t need to tie it down,’” he said. “But if you’re driving anywhere, you have to take the time to tie down your cargo. Nobody wants to be responsible for injuring or killing someone else. And that’s really the risk that you’re taking if you get out on the road with unsecured items in or on your vehicle.

Gleason sent St. George News a photo of road debris that had been collected along a 5-mile stretch of I-15 near Lehi during a one-month period last spring.

Kathy Tolleson, district manager for Associated General Contractors of Utah, said the subject recently came up again during a Southern Utah Air Quality Task Force meeting.

Tolleson said part of her job is to bring education and awareness not just to the professionals working within the construction industry, but to the general public as well.

“What we’re finding is that smaller companies or those that are from out of the area sometimes aren’t aware of the laws, and members of the public also may not be aware,” Tolleson said.

She cited the relevant section of Utah Code 72-7-409 that governs loads on vehicles, and said that all of AGC’s members have been asked to familiarize themselves with the law and to always make sure they are in full compliance. 

Piece of roadside debris on Interstate 15 shoulder near New Harmony, Utah, June 14, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

“This should be encouraged and enforced among all drivers under your influence,” Tolleson wrote in an email to AGC members. “We also challenge you to share this with your subs, co-workers, friends and neighbors.”

Criminal penalties for improperly secured loads start at an infraction but may rise to the level of a class B misdemeanor if it leads to an accident, or to a class A misdemeanor if it leads to serious injury or death. Additionally, citations carry a minimum fine of $200 for first-time offenders, $500 for each subsequent occurrence. For commercial drivers, the corresponding fine amounts are $500 and $1,000, respectively.

“AGC of Utah is deeply committed to the safety of all the individuals within our communities and believe that our members can truly make a difference by holding to the highest safety standards and leading by example,” Tolleson added.  

“Love Where You Live” volunteers clean up roadside trash in the St. George, Utah, area, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Kathy Tolleson, St. George News

According to UHP, the following is a useful checklist for drivers to follow as they prepare to transport a load of any size:

  • Tie down load with rope, netting or straps.
  • Tie large objects directly to the vehicle or trailer.
  • Cover the entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting.
  • Don’t overload the vehicle.
  • Always double-check load to make sure it is secure.
  • Don’t trust weathered or worn straps and bungee cords.

UHP also recommends checking to ensure that all vehicles and trailers are properly maintained and that all tires are safe for travel. Drivers should also avoid speeding and traveling too fast for conditions and should also maintain an adequate following distance while on the roads.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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