Car accidents caused by road debris are more common than you might think, according to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
From 2011 to 2014, more than 200,000 car accidents involving road debris were reported to police and these accidents caused 500 deaths and 39,000 injuries, according to the study.
AAA also studied road debris-related crashes in 2001 and the new data indicates that there was a 40 percent increase in these crashes between 2001 and 2014.
Unsecured loads are a leading source of debris on roadways across the country. A 2012 Government Accountability Office study found that unsecured loads caused 440 car-accident deaths and 10,000 injuries in 2010. According to the study, these accidents happened most often in states without strict laws punishing drivers traveling with unsecured loads.
Victims who have sustained life-changing injuries in unsecured load accidents as well as family members of those killed by road debris are working to make lawmakers and citizens aware of the dangers of unsecured loads, as well as to impose harsher penalties against those who fail to secure their loads.
Unsecured loads are illegal in all states, though jail time is only a possible penalty in 16 states, while just 11 states may fine offenders more than $500. In some states an unsecured load is treated the same as littering.
If you lost a loved one to an accident caused by road debris, your family may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, funeral expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Contact the Fort Worth car accident attorneys at Anderson & Cummings for a free, no obligation consultation to review your claim and learn about your legal options. Our injury attorneys have a long track record of securing just compensation for victims of car accidents.
Call (817) 920-9000 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form now.