King County Honors Mother of Woman Who Inspired "Maria's Law"

The Metropolitan King County Council this week recognized and thanked Renton resident Robin Abel for her years of volunteer work to promote awareness and enforcement of “secure your load” regulations on vehicles.  

Abel is the mother of Maria Federici, who was severely injured seven years ago when an unsecured piece of furniture fell off a truck on the freeway and went through her windshield.

According to Seattle Times articles about the accident and its aftermath, Federici was driving home to Renton from her late night job at a Kirkland bar when an parts of entertainment center came loose from a U-Haul truck and came through her window, striking her in the face.

Federici required months of rehabilitation and facial reconstruction and lost her eyesight as a result the crash, and the driver, a Newcastle man, received a $1,000 fine and citations for littering, failure to secure a load, driving without insurance and driving with a suspended license, according to news reports at the time.

Since then, Abel has become a leading advocate for roadway safety and strengthening traffic laws requiring secured loads. With her persistence, the state Legislature passed “Maria’s Law,” making it a crime to carry an unsecured load.  

Recently, Abel worked with Councilmember Kathy Lambert and the Washington State Department of Transportation on promoting the use of highway reader boards with the Washington State Patrol’s statewide Secure Your Loads campaign and emphasis patrol in May, according to a King County Council press release.

”I have been inspired by Maria’s courageous recovery, and by Robin’s untiring and persistent work to strengthen laws and enforcement for securing loads on vehicles,” said Councilwoman Lambert. “Thanks to her vigilance, King County’s garbage transfer stations now are posted with reminder signs to all drivers to secure their loads. We all are safer on our roads and freeways because of Robin’s dedication to this cause.”

Joining Lambert in presenting the recognition was Seattle City Councilwoman Sally Bagshaw, who talked about her work with late King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng in assisting Robin with getting Maria’s Law approved. WashDOT Regional Administrator Lorena Eng also provided details about the state’s recent “secure your load” campaign.

“I am honored to recognize Robin for her tireless work,” said Bagshaw. “Norm Maleng would be proud.”

“In addition to being a hazard to drivers, unsecured loads pose a safety problem to maintenance crews and state patrol, who must remove the debris while under live traffic,” said Lorena Eng. She also noted the cost of debris removal from state highways, which amounted to $4 million in 2010.

The recognition thanks Robin Abel “for her inspiring personal dedication to improving safety on roadways in King County and across the state,” and urges all agencies, businesses, and residents to take extra precautions to “secure your load.”

“Secure your load as if everyone you love is driving in the car behind you,” Robin Abel advised.

If you see an unsecured load, please report it by calling the state toll-free hotline at 866-LITTER-1.   

-- Information from King County Council and the Seattle Times archives