A load of strawberries inadequately tied down avoided becoming smashed roadkill in Santa Maria but served up a reminder about California Highway Patrol educational seminars. 

Stacks of boxes tipped off the flatbed truck as it entered Highway 101, with a picture showing the load precariously perched over the roadway.

“Thankfully, it was not as bad as it could have been,” the California Highway Patrol said in a social media post about the improperly secured load.

Personnel from the CHP’s Santa Maria area and Coastal Division Commercial Enforcement ensured additional tie downs were added before the truck was escorted a short distance to a location where the load could safely be reconfigured for transportation.

The Coastal Division posted the item last week and CHP Headquarters reposted the item Monday.

The driver was issued a warning, and the company was offered training on load securement requirements, the CHP said. 

It’s not unusual to see an occasional box of produce on roadsides near where row crops are grown around the Lompoc and Santa Maria valleys after falling from a vehicle.

The CHP provides free educational seminars on all commercial vehicle-related topics through the Commercial Industry Education Program (CIEP). 

The CIEP program is available throughout California and the training can be tailored to suit the needs of the commercial vehicle industry, including presentations in Spanish. 

For more information about the CIEP program, visit the website by clicking here.