Why Should You Secure Your Load?

• It prevents unsightly litter
• It protects wildlife and the environment
• It could prevent injuries or save lives
• Litter clean up in the US costs an estimated $11.5 billion each year
• It’s the law

How to Secure Your Load

• Put lighter items on the bottom and place heavier items on top
• Don’t overload your vehicle or trailer – it’s better to make multiple trips
• Tie down your load with rope, netting, straps, or bungie cords
• Cover your load with a tarp or heavy plastic and secure the cover
• Check your load to be sure it is secure: pull, tug, and otherwise try to dislodge items before you drive away

Other Litter Facts to Know

• Over 51 billion pieces of litter appear on US roadways each year
  • That’s 6,729 items per mile of road
• Tobacco products comprise roughly 38% of all US roadway litter
  • Paper is 22%
  • Plastic is 19%
• Packaging litter such as that from fast food, snack wrappers, and other items makes up 46% of all litter over 4 inches
• Most roadway litter appears to originate from motorists and pedestrians
  • Motorists 52%
  • Pedestrians 23%
  • Improperly covered trucks and cargo loads 17%
• About 50,000 crashes a year involve road debris on U.S. roadways

Download a flyer to share with on your community bulletin board, with your classroom, or in a newsletter!

Read Virginia Code on Dumping Trash here.

Infographics to use and share!

• Secure Your Load: Fast Facts
• Secure Your Load: Indirect Costs of Litter
• Secure Your Load: Community Impact of Litter

Great Resources

• Cigarette Litter
• Littering Behavior
• Sources of Litter
• The Cost of Littering