Debris On Highways Dangerous To Drivers

(CBS)  This is part three of a CBS Evening News series: The Road Ahead.

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In Los Angeles these days, rush hour traffic reports reveal a new kind of road hazard — one you might not have expected.

"Two left lanes are blocked by a ladder. It's causing a lot of swerving," one report said.

Random debris, tied up on trucks, dumped by the side of the road. There have been so many reports of junk on the roads that the California Highway Patrol has a Web site warning drivers about the hazards, CBS News correspondent Sandra Hughes reports.

The mess causes some 25,000 accidents a year.

"This thing would be a ten-pound boomerang coming at you," California Highway Patrol officer Kenneth Duke said.

The thing was a handle of a tool that fell off a truck and almost impaled a driver in Tacoma, Wash.

In Auburn, Wash., a truck driver died when he flipped trying to avoid a tire on the highway. In New York the driver of a car was killed by a flying piece of metal.

And last summer, Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy David Piquette died when he swerved to dodge a stove that had fallen off the truck in front of him. Piquette, a former Marine, left behind a wife and two children.

The driver who didn't secure that stove in his pickup truck has been charged with murder and faces 25 years to life if convicted. His trial is next month.

According to officials who clean up the road every year, they collect enough junk from California highways alone to fill up a football stadium — the Los Angeles Colliseum — eight feet deep.

The business of recycling is a big part of the reason people are piling their trucks full of junk.

"There's been an the increase in the value of scrap metal and scrap paper, cardboard there is increase in people collecting all the cardboard and bringing it to recycling centers," said Duke.

So, officials in California and 10 other states are getting tough. In some states the new penalty for losing your load on the highway can be as much as $5,000. If that lost debris causes an accident, the penalty can be as much as a year in jail.

"I would hate to see that refrigerator fall off onto the highway," Duke said while watching a vehicle carrying a refrigerator.

Duke said educating drivers is key, for instance, piling palettes too high isn't safe.

But one driver hauling stacked palettes said: "I think it's very safe. So the way I tied it. I think my ties are very good."

That's the problem, officials say. People think they have loads secured — even when it is painfully obvious that they don't.

[guest173]

when you report instances of overloaded trucks to the DPS, they seem to not even take it seriously. Instead of waiting for the media to complain about it, they should do their jobs on the daily basis they are already getting paid to do. Also the police don't seem to take it that seriously either. These small things turn into big things so easily, are people so dense?

[mwhc1]

i wonder how many of these people were tailgating the person in front of them - i bet most!

[michellem99-2009]

I glad we are talking about but do something please and learn. Years ago We were waiting at a bus stop as we use mass transit. Anyway this pop truck went by. As it went by us,its back doors moving. They were s'pose to be lacked/locked as they were not. We almost got hit by flying bottles as they went all over the place and he/she kelp going. Surely thru careless was a danger. I was pissed as a visully impaired person. Load- Helper this is your place to talk and share and you must be new to the boards.
They should know the right, safe way to haul their stuff but too lazy careless ti do it properly.They should know so if they get dressed down ,fined,they brought it on themselvess.

[dan9111]

On the one hand, litigation is expensive and makes insurance and driving less affordable. But folks who spill gravel into the road simply don't to a good job of prevention. You can get the license number and the cops will do nothing. It is only when privileged citizen is involved will they act.

A better solution is to privatize the road system and charge people precisely for their burden. A 30 ton truck spilling gravel would upset the other customers. It is vandalism of the road surface, and not just risk to customers. Somebody has to act. Walmart does not leave vomit in their aisles for long. Ditch the DMV. Let a private company charge road fees based on demand. They will clean up their act pretty quick. The government-owned streets? Who in the government cares, it is just more revenue for them when potholes and cluttered roads are obvious to the voter.

[complexities]

Years ago, I was driving down the highway when my car began being pelted by large gravel. It kept getting worse, eventually breaking the windshield of my (1 week old) car. Far ahead, I finally saw a dump truck so overfilled with gravel that it was spilling out all over the highway, causing problems for miles.

About 6 cars, myself included, boxed this guy in and forced him to pull over to obtain insurance info. Damage to my car alone was over $4,000. The driver's response? He didn't care. It was his company's fault, not his. After MANY of the damaged cars obtained the info we needed and left, this guy got right back on the highway, causing even more damage. When I called this guy's company, the operator knew instantly where to direct my call, saying, "we've been getting calls all day long about this." If that's true, then WHY DIDN'T THEY MAKE THAT DRIVER STOP?!

It's not only stupidity that causes these problems, but also a complete lack of care. Many people just don't care what they do to others. If they lose their load, they just keep right on driving.

The only way to stop these people up is to adopt a set of laws as to how a load must be secured, and then apply strict penalties when these laws are broken. If a person is seen driving with an improperly secured load, the police should be able to pull them over and impound the car and load, preventing it from driving on the roads one more inch. We shouldn't wait until someone is hurt or dead before taking action.

[load-helper]

I have been trying to let people know of two products that are available to contractors of all trades to help reduce lost loads
& ladders you can check it out at www.load-helper.com
I dont know how to comment on these boards without people thinking i am spaming .

[godseyesore-2009]

I'm constantly amazed by the number of people who have absolutely no understanding of effects of wind, momentum, etc., on things transported on their vehicles. I doubt they even know how to tie a knot.
My conclusion is that the majority of people are stupendously stupid.
That explains a lot actually...especially current administration actions.

[santachip]

Hey MYLDONCBS...why don't you read the article again,,the stuff KILLED the guy, thus the harsh (not in my opinion)punishment, not becausethe guy he murdered was a police officer.

[gunshack1]

Jetranger, you need to calm down a bit. Why are you shouting? You are going to give yourself a stroke. You've got a lot of anger in you son.

[myidoncbs]

"In some states the new penalty for losing your load on the highway can be as much as $5,000. If that lost debris causes an accident, the penalty can be as much as a year in jail."

Unless the victim is a cop, then the penalty is 25 years to life in prison (according to this very article!)