Getting ready to load up the family vehicle for a long trip? Maybe spring cleaning got a little out of control and now you’ve got a lot of stuff to haul away. Maybe you’re gearing up to take a child to college.

There are any number of reasons our vehicles can get loaded down, but earlier this month, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program took a day to remind drivers to “Drive Safe: Secure Your Load.”

How many of us have driven past debris on the road that makes it clear someone did not do just that? For that matter, how many have glanced in the rearview mirror to notice a piece of luggage spectacularly sailing off behind them? It may seem inconvenient or even a little funny, but objects flying off vehicles (and into the paths of oncoming vehicles) can be dangerous.

According to the West Virginia Department of Transportation, between 2016 and 2020 an average of 16,878 people per year were injured when a vehicle collided with another object that had not been properly secured. An average of 732 of those people per year died.

If you’re traveling with cargo, be sure it is tied down with rope, netting or straps. Tie large objects directly to the vehicle or trailer. Perhaps cover the entire load with a sturdy (and also well-secured) tarp or netting. Don’t overload your vehicle or trailer. And always double check your load is, indeed, secure.

“Many drivers think that only commercial vehicle drivers are responsible for securing their cargo,” said Jack McNeely, director of the West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “We want our community to know that it is every driver’s responsibility to ensure their load is properly secured to their vehicle to protect other vehicles, drivers, and bystanders.”

In addition to the risk of damage to vehicles, injuries or even death, there is also a fine for cargo that has managed to escape its containment — $250 for the first offense, with increased amounts for subsequent offenses during a year, culminating in the possibility of permit revocation and jail time.

Tie it down, cover it, make sure you can see to drive safely, and then double check everything. Whatever you are carrying will be safer, and so will everyone else on the road.