Drivers Aren’t Securing Their Loads on the Road

(Click on the image for the AAA report)

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Aug. 11, 2016)- More than 200,000 crashes involved debris on U.S. roadways during the past four years, according to a new study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Road debris has resulted in approximately 39,000 injuries and more than 500 deaths between 2011 and 2014.
About two-thirds of debris-related crashes are the result of items falling from a vehicle due to improper maintenance and unsecured loads. The most common types of vehicle debris are:

• Parts becoming detached from a vehicle (tires, wheels, etc.) and falling onto the roadway
• Unsecured cargo like furniture, appliances and other items falling onto the roadway
• Tow trailers becoming separated and hitting another vehicle or landing on the roadway

Securing Vehicle Loads: When moving or towing furniture, it is important to make sure all items are secured. To properly secure a load, drivers should:

• 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 a load is secure

I can add another warning from personal experience - don't carry a box-spring & mattress set on the roof of your car. Thankfully we were uninjuried but the mattress set flying off the roof of the car in front of us on MD 210 last Friday evening caused over $3,000 in damage to our car and loss of its use for 2 weeks. 😞(Ron)