National Secure Your Load Day on June 6 Marks 10 Years of Raising Awareness About Preventable Roadway Hazards

Keep America Beautiful urges drivers to secure every load and help prevent crashes, injuries, and litter on America’s roadways

Each year, unsecured loads send trash, debris, and other dangerous objects onto America’s roadways, creating serious safety risks for drivers and contributing to widespread litter. According to the Keep America Beautiful 2026 National Litter Study, an estimated 454 million pieces of roadway litter are linked to unsecured loads. As National Secure Your Load (opens in a new tab) Day marks its 10th anniversary on June 6, Keep America Beautiful is joining Robin Abel and road safety advocates nationwide to remind drivers that properly securing a load is a simple step that can save lives.

“Unsecured loads are more than a litter problem. They are a public safety threat on our roadways and a source of pollution that can travel from streets to waterways and coastal areas,” said David Scott, PhD, Senior Vice President of Research and Data at Keep America Beautiful. “The data make clear that this is a preventable issue, and awareness is an essential part of the solution.”

National Secure Your Load Day grew out of personal tragedy and determined advocacy. In 2004, a heavy object from an unsecured load crashed through the windshield of Robin Abel’s daughter, Maria, causing critical injuries. After the crash, Abel became a leading advocate for stronger road safety laws and public awareness. In 2016, she launched the Secure Your Load campaign to help educate drivers about the dangers of unsecured loads and the importance of proper load securement.

The danger is significant and ongoing. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (opens in a new tab) show that an average of 730 people are killed and 17,000 more are injured each year in crashes involving objects in the road. Most of these crashes involve unsecured loads from passenger vehicles, underscoring the need for drivers to take a few extra minutes before every trip to make sure cargo is tied down, covered, and safely transported.

Now in its 10th year, National Secure Your Load Day serves as a national reminder that unsecured loads can have devastating consequences and that these incidents are preventable. On June 6, Keep America Beautiful encourages drivers everywhere to take responsibility for securing what they carry and to help protect fellow motorists, communities, and the environment from avoidable harm.

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About Keep America Beautiful®:

Keep America Beautiful®, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful® strives to End Littering, Improve Recycling, and Beautify America’s Communities. We believe everyone has a right to live in a clean, green, and beautiful community, and shares a responsibility to contribute to that vision. The organization is driven by the work and passion of 700 Keep America Beautiful® affiliates, millions of volunteers, and the collaborative support of corporate partners, social and civic service organizations, academia, municipalities, elected officials, and individuals. Join us on Facebook (opens in a new tab), Instagram (opens in a new tab), Twitter (opens in a new tab), Linkedin (opens in a new tab), and YouTube (opens in a new tab). Donate and take action at kab.org.

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Keep America Beautiful®