Pick It Up – Toss No Más Recognizes National Secure Your Load Day with Community Cleanup on Saturday, June 20th, 9 am – 12 pm at Gila Community Foundation parking lot
June 6th is National Secure Your Load Day, in remembrance of Matthew Reif, an Arizona man who died in 2006 when a piece of metal flew out of a truck bed and hit his car while driving. Unsecured trash and debris in vehicles or lying along our roadways are not just unsightly, they can be extremely dangerous for drivers, hikers, and bicycle riders on roads. In June, we are encouraging everyone to assess their vehicles before hitting the road. Do you have any loose car parts that could fly off while you're driving? Do you have any items, from a lightweight piece of cardboard or plastic to a heavy sheet of metal, that could blow out of your bed or cab while you're driving? Improving your habits and learning how to secure your load before you hit the road can save lives.
National Secure Your Load Day is a campaign to prevent deadly crashes, property damage, and litter caused by unsecured loads on our highways. Unsecured loads are a serious threat to our safety and our environment. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, road debris causes hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries every year. At 55 mph, a 20-pound object that falls from a vehicle can strike with an impact of 1,000 pounds. We can prevent thousands of crashes and injuries by securing loads in vehicle beds, trailers, and open cabs. Remember, before you drive, make sure nothing in your vehicle can slide, fall, shift, or become airborne by following these common-sense recommendations from the New Mexico Department of Transportation:
Cover it: Cover your entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting.
Tie it Down: Secure cargo to your truck or trailer with ropes, netting, or heavy-duty straps. Large objects should be tied directly to the vehicle or trailer.
Watch Your Weight: Avoid overloading vehicles beyond their capacity. If carrying large items, secure large items near the front of your bed where they will catch less air. With a mixed load, place lighter items at the bottom and heavier items directly over your axles.
Anticipate Bumps in the Road: Double-check that loads are secured at the back, sides, and top and will stay secure if you hit a bump or brake suddenly.
The Final Check: Ask yourself, "Would I feel safe driving behind my own vehicle? What would happen to my load if I had to brake suddenly or hit a bump? Is there any chance debris could fall or blow out?"
Besides the tragic cost of traffic fatalities and injuries, trash along roadways also has a large financial cost. According to the Keep America Beautiful 2026 National Litter Study, there are 23.7 billion pieces of litter along American roads, polluting our communities and our planet. New Mexico spends $10 million annually to clean up litter along our roadways.
That's why Pick It Up – Toss No Mas, the Town of Silver City, and the Southwest Solid Waste Authority have re-released a video to remind you to "Cover Your Load Before You Hit the Road!" Whether you're carrying trash, furniture or appliances, yard or construction waste, make sure it's covered and tied down securely. It's not only the law, it's also the smart thing to do.
Check out the video on the Pick It Up - Toss No Mas website at www.silvercitytossnomas.org and watch a demonstration of how to properly cover your load.
The Silver City Pick It Up - Toss No Más program is honoring the lives lost due to unsecured loads and roadside litter during a community litter cleanup on Saturday, June 20th. Volunteers should meet at the Gila Community Foundation parking lot at 1106 North Pope Street, from 9 am to noon to grab supplies: trash bags, gloves, trash pickers, and snacks. Volunteers will then return to the parking lot to drop off all litter and debris between 11am and noon. Volunteers should bring a water bottle and wear closed-toe shoes, a sun hat, and sunscreen. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Families with younger children are encouraged to clean up litter in their neighborhood, local parks or waterways as children under 12 are not permitted on state highways for the cleanup.
Whether you're carrying trash, furniture or appliances, yard or construction waste, make sure it's covered and tied down securely. Given the problem of unsecured loads, the Southwest Solid Waste Authority charges $5 for arriving at the Main Landfill with an unsecured load. Within Silver City, you can be charged a fine up to $500 just for being spotted with an unsecured load. Additionally, you could face a minimum $300 fine for littering on New Mexico state highways if any trash or debris flies out of your vehicle. So don't let your load become a road hazard: cover your load before you hit the road! It's not just the law, it's about protecting your community.
Thank you to our partners at the New Mexico Department of Transportation for cleaning our roads and hauling away trash collected by volunteers to the landfill.
Check out the Pick It Up-Toss No Mas website www.silvercitytossnomas.org to sign up to volunteer and to learn about litter prevention opportunities, the business pledge program, Adopt-A-Roadway or Waterway program, and solid waste disposal and recycling resources.
Volunteers are the foundation of the Pick It Up – Toss No Mas program. Since October 2021, over 1,138 volunteers have picked up over 34,857 pounds of trash, debris, and recyclables from Highways 180 and 90, Silver City neighborhoods, Big Ditch Park and San Vicente Creek.Thank you to each and every one of our volunteers, organizations, and partners who do all this work! We are incredibly thankful for the amazing monthly turnouts and support in our collective effort to keep Silver City clean and beautiful.
Monthly Pick It Up – Toss No Mas clean-up events are held the third Saturday of every month. Community members can also adopt a roadway or waterway to take care of and clean up throughout the year. On top of that, Pick It Up – Toss No Mas can provide guidance for those who would like to put on their own clean up event, helping to supply the trash pickers, trash bags and gloves for your event.
Pick It Up – Toss No Mas community cleanup events are sponsored by the Town of Silver City, New Mexico Clean and Beautiful, Silver City Watershed Keepers, Silver City Recycles, Silver City MainStreet, SWNMACT, Southwest Solid Waste Authority, Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce, and New Mexico Department of Transportation's Toss No Mas Program. More information for the event can be found at www.silvercitytossnomas.org or contact Alesia
Hallmark at 575-538-8078 or via email at
