AAA Says Road Debris Causes Tens Of Thousands Of Crashes Every Year
A study released yesterday by the American Automobile Association highlights the danger that road debris poses on U.S. highways.
The study looked at data from 2011 through 2014. During that three year span, the study says that road debris was responsible for causing 200,000 crashes. Road debris was also blamed for 39,000 injuries and over 500 deaths in three years.
Not surprisingly, the study found that most crashes caused by road debris — about 66% of crashes, happened because an object fell off of a vehicle.
And in one third of the fatal crashes caused by road debris, a driver swerved to avoid an object in the roadway.
The study suggested that most of the crashes, including those that resulted in injury or death, didn’t have to happen: “What we’re finding is that a lot of these crashes are easily preventable if drivers just take the necessary precautions to maintain their vehicles and also secure their loads.”
All 50 states have penalties for drivers found at fault for debris in the roadway.