May 24, 2021 The Washington Department of Ecology launched a new statewide safety and litter prevention campaign Monday with its partners from the Washington State Patrol, the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The ‘We Keep Washington Litter Free’ campaign’s first initiative focuses on alerting Washingtonians that unsecured vehicle loads are a safety hazard for drivers and a significant contributor to litter on state highways. The safety and environmental impacts of unsecured loads carry heavy costs. Debris on highways cause about 300 traffic crashes and 30 injuries every year in the state. More than 12 million pounds of litter ends up on Washington roadways and up to 40% – almost 5 million pounds – comes from unsecured cargo and debris blowing out of pickup truck beds.