Freeway Debris Leads to Florida Fatality

 After a semi-truck driver swerved to avoid a piece of metal that was on the freeway, it crashed through the median and rammed into a grove of trees, killing the driver, who was ejected from the vehicle. It was yet another tragic event linked to debris impairing traffic on a Florida roadway.

Road Debris 

Trash, miscellaneous unsecured cargo, blown tires and vehicle parts are all serious traffic hazards that lead to thousands of collisions across the country every year, many of which result in serious injuries or death. Sometimes the accidents occur when drivers run over the obstacles; other times maneuvers to avoid the debris leads to collisions with other drivers. Across the country, roughly 50,000 collisions lead to 5,500 injuries and over 70 fatalities annually.

Common Causes 

There are a number of reasons that materials may be unexpectedly in your path on a road way:

• Materials like cones, rocks, branches, and other things may be dropped or blown from construction areas;
• Trucks and trailers carrying furniture, lumber, tools, and other materials may not be properly secured and fall onto the road;
• Roadkill and fallen trees can be problems on the road;
• Rocks or sand related to construction vehicles can be part of a lost load;
• Flying debris can be the result of an immediate incident or wind;
• Vehicle collisions, tire blow-outs, and broken car pieces may be left on roadways.

Avoiding Debris

Nobody wants to suffer the consequences of colliding with road debris, especially at high speeds.  Following other vehicles at a safe distance can reduce the chances of it happening. If you do run into something in the middle of the road, there are several steps you should take in the name of safety and determining liability:

• Pull over with your hazard lights immediately;
• Call 911 to report the incident;
• Document the scene with photos when it is safe to do so.

Who is at Fault?

Clearly, there are circumstances when a driver may be held responsible—or at least partly responsible– when they collide with something in the road. Factors like speed, distractions, and following distance all play a part in one’s ability to respond to unexpected situations.

In other situations, there may be no way to avoid a collision, especially when the material is air bound. Drivers who fail to secure their load may be held liable for accidents related to items they drop.

Even government entities, in some cases, might be partially liable for a collision involving debris if maintenance crews failed to quickly and adequately clean up after debris is discovered on a roadway.

Fighting for You

If you’ve been injured in an accident involving highway debris, it’s possible you could be compensated for medical costs, lost wages, and more. To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation with the experienced and hard-hitting Kissimmee personal injury attorneys at Salazar & Kelly Law Group in our office today.

Source:

wesh.com/article/semi-truck-driver-dies-crash-debris-i-95-volusia-county/70993711