Drunk and distracted driving are top of the list when numbers are calculated to determine crashes and fatalities along Valley freeways.
But another factor should be added, according to an AAA study.
Debris.
AAA researchers analyzed nationwide police data and other research and found road debris was likely a factor in more than 319,000 crashes between 2018 and 2023, resulting in more than 32,000 injuries and 433 deaths.
“Road debris” is generally defined as any object on a road that does not belong “in a driving environment,” according to a release from the AAA Mountain West Group.
The most common types of debris include vehicle parts (tires, bumpers, wheels) and unsecured cargo that fell off a vehicle (furniture, barbecue grills, mattresses).
The Arizona Department of Transportation agrees.
ADOT’s Incident Response Unit patrols Valley highways and responded to more than 4,800 debris-related calls in 2025, state transportation officials said.
“Our crews have seen items such as mattresses, ladders, furniture, household appliances and more left behind on Arizona freeways due to unsecured loads,” ADOT officials stated in a release.
Bart Graves, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said while the agency does not keep statistics on incidents where highway debris was involved, “we do believe it is a major safety factor . . . and the cause continues to be drivers failing to secure their loads.”
DPS works with state and county agencies as part of the “Secure your Load” campaign, “and we will continue to support this effort in any way we can,” Graves said.
AAA statistics show:
- Road debris was a factor in 53,000 crashes each year between 2018 and 2023.
- The crashes resulted in an average of 5,467 injuries and 72 deaths each year.
- Fallen-off vehicle parts and unsecured cargo were the most common forms of road debris.
- Evasive maneuvers like swerving contributed to nearly half of related deaths.
“Many of these crashes would have been easily preventable if drivers properly secured their cargo,” AAA Mountain West Group spokesperson Julian Paredes said.
“Securing loads and keeping your car maintained seems like common sense, but too often we have seen many fail to do so and resulting in tragedy.”
ADOT offers this advice:
- Tie down your load: Use ropes, bungee cords, netting or other straps when hauling items.
- Cover your load: Use a tarp to prevent items from flying out from a truck bed or trailer.
- Ask yourself: Would I feel safe if I were driving behind my vehicle? Would my load stay secure if I had to suddenly brake or if I hit a bump on the road?
Dan McCarthy
Web content
Meet Dan
Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.
Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.
Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism.
Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey.
Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.