Road debris is a serious road hazard that can cause severe injuries, property damage, and road damage. Debris-caused collision is one of the most common road hazards that cause accidents. Being aware of these risks and what those risks entail can protect you while you’re on the road. At our collision repair shop, we constantly see vehicles that have been in a debris-caused collision. In this blog, we will look at the types of road debris you can encounter, how commonly collisions are caused by debris, and how to protect yourself from becoming involved in a debris-related crash.
How Commonly Does Debris Cause Collisions?
According to the AAA Foundation, there are approximately 50,000 car accidents in the United States annually from road debris. At the same time, 2/3 of them resulted from items falling from another vehicle due to improper maintenance or an unsecured load. This is an issue with drivers as these collisions are preventable by adequately securing the load and preventative maintenance. We see these types of collisions frequently at our auto body shop. Ensure your safety and the safety of those around you by having regularly scheduled maintenance on your vehicle and securing the load when you’re hauling something.
Different Types of Road Debris
There are many types of debris that can be on the roadway. Debris is anything on the road that is not supposed to be there. Foreign objects that may appear suddenly and can cause a collision. A shortlist of these objects includes:
- Appliances, furniture, equipment, or other items that might be hauled by another vehicle and fall off.
- Blown tire parts
- Pieces of another car involved in a collision
- Damaged auto parts such as a muffler
- Broken signs, guardrails, traffic signals, or other road fixtures
- Tree Limbs
- Animals
- Unhitched trailers
- Litter
- Rocks, concrete, or other things kicked up by other vehicle’s tires
- Road construction equipment
There are many other types of debris that you could not be anticipating that show up on the road is a potential hazard.
How to Protect Yourself
There are many ways to protect yourself and those around you. Rusted hardware on your vehicle can fall off and collide with another vehicle; this is where having a trusted auto body shop can help you. We specialize in restoring your vehicle to a like-new status so that your busted fender doesn’t fall off and harm someone else. If you’re towing something, ensure you secure the load properly and check for any loose pieces. If you notice another vehicle carrying a potentially dangerous load, exercise extreme caution and give yourself plenty of space to navigate if something falls off. If you’re faced with a situation where sudden debris has fallen into your path, do all you can to avoid swerving and sudden braking, as this could lead to even worse injuries. Safely navigate out of the way if you can and reduce your speed gently before making contact. If the situation is unavoidable, then our collision repair shop can help. Our auto body repair experts have the knowledge and experience to get your vehicle back to a like-new condition.