Utah drivers could pay a steep price for failing to tie down their gear

TAYLORSVILLE — The Utah Department of Public Safety said drivers throughout the state still aren't getting the message to tie down equipment and bulky cargo, even though that simple step can save lives.

"Think of a motorcyclist," said Jason Mettmann, with the department's highway safety office. "Think of a small vehicle that has to impact that big box or the refrigerator or whatever falls off your truck. They don't have a lot of reaction time if you're going 70 mph."

Debris falling from trucks and other vehicles causes hundreds of crashes a year. In 2024, it was responsible for three deaths on Utah roads, down from a high of eight in 2021, according to Mettmann's office. No such fatalities have been recorded yet this year.

Friday was a national day of awareness about the dangers of unsecured vehicle loads. The state wants to keep the safety message top of mind for road trippers and campers as they pack up and head out this summer.

The source of the problem varies, according to the department. Often, it's commercial rigs carrying all sorts of equipment that end up spilling those contents, but it's also individual drivers hauling furniture or the like.

Both should be prepared to pay up. The fine for a first violation is $200, and the cost goes up from there.

Related:

Driver charged with improperly secured bulldozer that killed 2 in Ogden Canyon

Prosecutors say the driver of a tow truck knew the bulldozer he was towing was improperly secured, which led to the death of two people in an Ogden Canyon crash in July.

For troopers, the job of responding and clearing debris from Utah's highways is dangerous but routine, said trooper Justin O'Driscoll. He often stops drivers before it gets to that point.

"This week, every day that I've worked, I've stopped a commercial vehicle with insufficient load security. Every single day," he said. "I'm sure that is common for most troopers."

When cargo does spill onto the road, troopers tend to drive in a swerving pattern to slow down traffic so they can cordon off lanes, get out of their cars and clear the contents away.

O'Driscoll's urging drivers to hit the brakes and avoid trying to pass them so they don't strike troopers or other cars.

He said there's an economic impact, too. The Utah Department of Transportation reports spending about $3 million a year cleaning up debris and litter.

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