Editor's Note: The video above was originally published in 2017.
Drivers will see electronic highway message signs starting Monday warning of a 28-day statewide secure load emphasis by Washington State Patrol.
Troopers will be looking for cargo that can slide, shift, fall, or become airborne.
Failure to secure a load can earn a driver a citation ranging from $228 in fines to criminal charges.
"Unsecured vehicle loads are no accident. They are dangerous, sometimes deadly. All drivers have a responsibility to make sure their loads are properly secured at all times,” Washington State Patrol Lieutenant Mark Tegard said in a release.
Washington state leaders were prompted to create more serious penalties for unsecured loads after a woman was permanently blinded when a particle board flew off a truck and through her windshield while driving on I-405 near Renton in 2004.
WSP offers the following five tips for securing your load:
• 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 all is secure
Troopers will also be looking out for drivers littering on the roadway.
Littering fines range from $50 - $5,000 in Washington. The largest is for “lit debris” – usually cigarettes.
