County campaign reminds drivers that securing their load leads to safer travels for everyone.





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*June 4, 2025*

Secure Your Load for Safer Roads
Secure Your Load for Safer Roads

Kitsap campaign offers free cargo nets to prevent crashes and roadside litter

Thanks to a grant from the Washington Department of Ecology, the Kitsap County Solid Waste Division will again offer *free* *cargo nets and ratchet straps* to help Kitsap drivers properly secure their vehicle and trailer cargo. 

The giveaways are part of the 2025 Secure Your Load for Safer Roads [ [link removed] ] campaign, a statewide initiative to reduce crashes and litter on Washington’s roads. Unsecured loads were responsible for 337 crashes and 32 injuries last year in Washington. They also caused up to 40% of roadside litter.  

In 2024, Kitsap 911 received 388 calls reporting debris on Kitsap’s roads, including lumber, wheelbarrows, ladders, buckets, and more. Each could have resulted in a collision. 

Drivers have three opportunities to receive a free net or straps, which are available in limited quantities at the following locations: 


* *June 6, 2025, Secure Your Load Day: *
* Olympic View Transfer Station [ [link removed] ]
* Hansville Recycling and Garbage Facility [ [link removed] ]
* Silverdale Recycling and Garbage Facility [ [link removed] ]
* Olalla Recycling and Garbage Facility [ [link removed] ] 


* *June 7, 2025: *Port Orchard Farmers Market [ [link removed] ]

* *July 25-27, 2025: *Whaling Days Festival [ [link removed] ] in Silverdale 

*Law enforcement patrols* 

From June 3 to 22, 2025, Washington State Patrol troopers will conduct emphasis patrols across Washington to find unsecured loads and hand out tickets or provide education. In 2024, Washington troopers contacted more than 5,300 motorists and issued 532 citations for unsecured vehicle loads.

On June 6, 2025, a Deputy with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office will also provide education to customers at the Olympic View Transfer Station. 

*Driving with an unsecured load is illegal* 

Fines for failing to secure a load range from $50 to $5,000, with higher penalties for any incidents that result in injury or property damage. Criminal charges may apply in serious cases.

Kitsap County waste facilities charge a $10 fee to customers who arrive with an unsecured load. This fee is required by state and local laws. Since 2023, the county has collected more than $15,000 in fees, which are used for roadside litter cleanup efforts.  

*Campaign impacts* 

Since the launch of the Secure Your Load for Safer Roads campaign in 2021, customers at Kitsap County’s transfer stations are increasingly securing their cargo. In 2021, 84% of customers took steps to secure their loads. Today, that number has risen to 88%. 

“Most of our transfer station customers secure their garbage and recyclables,” says Sarah Champ, with the Kitsap County Solid Waste Division. “But some folks forget to secure their equipment, which is why 911 receives so many calls about loose tools and debris on the roads. We’re asking all residents to protect the community and keep Kitsap clean by securing all tools, equipment, and materials.” 

The Kitsap Board of County Commissioners has proclaimed June 6, 2025, as Secure Your Load Day in Kitsap County [ [link removed] ] to raise awareness about this issue while honoring and remembering those whose lives were lost or impacted by debris from an unsecured vehicle load. 

Throughout June and July, Kitsap County will share social media content for the campaign using the campaign #SecureYourLoadWA.  

To learn more about this campaign and how you can help keep Kitsap's roads safe and litter free, visit kcowa.us/SecureYourLoad [ [link removed] ] or kcowa.us/SujetaTuCarga [ [link removed] ]. 






Customer standing next to their correctly secured vehicle load.

Customer standing next to their correctly secured vehicle load, using a tarp, ratchet straps, and bungee cords.



Incorrectly secured vehicle load.

Inadequately secured loads put lives at risk. This load could be secured better by using a cargo net and more ratchet straps.






More information

* To learn more about the statewide campaign, please visit SecureLoadsWA.org [ [link removed] ] or SujetaTuCargaWA.org [ [link removed] ].
* Call 911 if you see a dangerous unsecured load or something fall from a vehicle.
* Learn more about Kitsap County’s litter pick up and prevention programs [ [link removed] ].
* The national Secure Your Load [ [link removed] ] safety campaign was started by Robin Abel, a Washington resident whose daughter was seriously injured by an unsecured load. Her advocacy helped spark stronger laws and broader awareness of this preventable danger.





Contact information

Kitsap County Public Works, Solid Waste Division, 360.337.5777 or [email protected]

Kimberly Pleger, Public Works Communications Manager, 360.337.5777 or [email protected]







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