State police cracking down on commercial littering

Mud and debris tracks on the highway are earning local motorists hefty fines, according to Louisiana State Police Trooper First Class Gilbert Dardar Jr.

Whether debris or mud falls from the vehicle itself or from the tires, it is still considered littering under Louisiana Revised Statute 30:2531.3 titled “Commercial Littering Prohibited.”

The law states, “No person shall operate any truck or other vehicle on any highway in such a manner or condition that litter resulting from industrial, commercial, mining, or agricultural operations in which the person is involved can blow or fall out of such vehicle or that mud from its tires can fall upon the roadway.”

Dardar said mud and other debris tracked onto the road by vehicles leaving job sites can create a dangerous driving environment, especially mixed with wet road conditions.

“Whether the job site involves sugar cane hauling, levee building, new construction projects, or any other project involving the possibility of debris getting onto the road, it is the driver’s responsibility to keep the highway free and clear of debris,” he explained.

Motorists can report violators by calling *LSP (*577) on their cell phone.