JEFFERSON CITY— This year’s road to the annual Secure Your Load Day on June 6 has been paved with success, thanks to nationwide support.
Founded in 2004 by Robin Abel, Secure Your Load Day is a national effort to raise awareness of the dangers of unsecured loads and road debris. Currently, 47 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands are on board to officially recognize the day and vow to educate the public on the importance of load securement, with some beginning to employ policy to make our highways safer.
Abel, a Seattle, Washington resident, made it her mission to fight this senseless and avoidable danger after her daughter was catastrophically injured by an unsecured load. In the past 14 years her steadfast work has created real change.
“We put on our seat belts and fasten our children into car seats, so why would we think it’s okay to leave anything loose in the bed of our trucks and risk endangering others on the road?” said Abel. “A 20-pound object at 55 mph has a force of 1,000 pounds on impact,” she said.
On June 6, in honor of those whose lives have been impacted or taken by unsecured loads and road debris and in an effort to make load securing a standard practice, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety urges motorists to take these simple precautions to save lives:
- Tie down loads with rope, netting or straps
- Cover the entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting
- Don’t overload the vehicle
- Always double check to make sure the load is secure
For more information on the Secure Your Load day, please visit www.secureyourload.com.
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