IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1107 

Supporting the designation of National Secure Your Load Day. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2018 

Mr. REICHERT (for himself and Mr. PASCRELL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of National Secure Your Load 

Day. 

Whereas driving with an unsecured load presents a danger to 

the traveling public; 

Whereas all 50 States and the District of Columbia have regulations that pertain to unsecured loads; 

Whereas motorists must recognize their responsibility to 

make safe and considerate choices while driving; 

Whereas the simple, routine act of securely affixing every 

load makes the Nation’s roads safer for all drivers, and 

these precautions should not be overlooked; 

Whereas a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety 

indicates that more than 200,000 crashes caused by unsecured loads and road debris occurred from 2011 to 


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2014, resulting in approximately 39,000 injuries and 500 

deaths; 

Whereas a 2012 Government Accountability Office report entitled ‘‘Federal and State Efforts Related to Accidents 

That Involve Non-Commercial Vehicles Carrying Unsecured Loads’’ acknowledges unsecured loads and road debris as a serious safety hazard stating that there are approximately 51,000 debris-related crashes on United 

States roadways, killing 440 people and injuring 10,000 

people annually; 

Whereas the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

(NHTSA) stated that in 2016 there were 683 deaths, 

19,663 injuries, and 90,266 incidents related to unsecure 

loads; 

Whereas the United States spends approximately $11.5 billion dollars on litter and it is estimated that unsecured 

loads and road debris account for up to 40 percent of the 

litter on our roadways; 

Whereas the United States recognizes the profound suffering 

and loss of those harmed by unsecured loads and road 

debris, and stands in solidarity with those critically impacted by such instances of avoidable tragedy; 

Whereas the joint explanatory statement of the committee of 

the conference on H.R. 22 for the FAST Act, enacted in 

2015, stated that ‘‘the conferees are concerned about the 

dangers posed by unsecured loads on the non-commercial 

vehicles. Federal grant funds for state run safety campaigns raising awareness about the dangers posed by unsecured loads are currently eligible under State Highway 

Programs (23 U.S.C. 402). Therefore the Committee encourages states to address unsecured loads the next time 


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they submit their State Highway Safety Program for approval by the Secretary (Public Law 114–95)’’; 

Whereas the State of Washington has one of the strongest 

laws that includes penalties for those who do not properly 

secure their loads when driving on Washington State 

roads; 

Whereas, on October 7, 2015, a deadly incident at mile 109.6 

on the New Jersey Turnpike in Kearny occurred as a result of mattresses and box springs that were not properly 

secured, killing the driver of a gasoline tanker when his 

tanker collided with another vehicle, flipped over the 

guardrail, and caught fire trying to avoid the unsecured 

load which obstructed the road; 

Whereas June 6 is an appropriate day to designate as National Secure Your Load Day because that date recognizes Matthew Reif of Arizona, 29, who was killed on 

that date in 2006 when an unsecured 10-pound piece of 

scrap metal from a truck in front of him smashed 

through his windshield; 

Whereas Robin Abel, an advocate from Renton, Washington, 

is the founder of National Secure Your Load Day; and 

Whereas in 2018, there were 27 proclamations declaring 

June 6 as Secure Your Load Day with 48 States participating: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of a National Se3 cure Your Load Day to honor the lives of those that 

4 have been impacted by unsecure loads and road de5 bris; 


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1 (2) that National Secure Your Load Day is for 

2 all drivers nationwide, including noncommercial and 

3 commercial drivers; and 

4 (3) encourages States to promote efforts to 

5 raise awareness and address unsecure loads on our 

6 roads and highways. 

Æ 


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