The Dangers of Semi-Truck Debris on Louisiana Highways

Originally published October 11, 2021.

If you’ve ever driven on a highway, you’ve probably seen chunks of tires on the road. You may be worried they’ll damage your car or cause an accident, and your concern is not unfounded.  Crashes caused by debris often cause damage to your car and can leave you with serious injuries—and in need of legal help from the experienced Louisiana truck accident attorneys from Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers.

Read further to learn more about the excessive tire debris in Louisiana and the hazards they cause drivers.

Why Are There So Many Tires?

The pieces of tire you see on the road come from tractor-trailers. Their tires can blow out when they’re traveling at high speed, leaving the remains all over the road.

Tires blow out for a couple of reasons, usually because they aren’t properly inflated or are too worn down. Low pressure or a worn-out tire leads to tread separation. When this happens, the tire loses more air pressure and eventually can explode. You see so many tires on highways because more trucks are traveling on them than ever before. More online shopping means that there are more trucks on the road to deliver your packages.

When the number of trucks on the road goes up, so does the number of blown tires, which is why you see more tires on interstate highways and expressways than regular city streets.

Blown Truck Tires Are a Serious Hazard

Why are they so dangerous? When a tire blows, it’s traveling at the same high speed as the truck. On a highway, a truck travels at speeds of up to 75-80 miles per hour. Any debris traveling at these speeds is dangerous, especially if it hits a passing car. Tire debris could potentially damage your windshield or passengers in the vehicle.

You may get into an accident trying to swerve out of the way of flying debris. You can even become injured or cause an accident by driving over old debris left on the roadway.

How to Protect Yourself

The best way to protect yourself from road debris, including tires, is learning to drive defensively. Driving defensively means keeping a reasonable distance away from other cars and avoiding tailgating, especially when driving behind large trucks.

If you follow other cars and trucks too closely, you may get caught up in accidents they cause. Give yourself the time and space to safely move out of the way if another vehicle comes to a sudden stop, swerves, or drops cargo.

Defensive driving also teaches you to scan the road for debris continually. Look beyond a single car length or two ahead of you while driving. This lets you spot debris in time to get out of the way or slow down.

If hitting debris is unavoidable, slow down as much as possible. Lowering your speed reduces the impact if debris hits your car.

Drivers can Hold Trucking Companies Liable

If you’re injured or crash because of a blown tire from a truck on the road, you may be able to hold the trucking company liable.  Blown tires are caused by too much wear on a tire or improper inflation. Both of these are preventable when truck drivers and trucking companies regularly inspect the tires and follow necessary maintenance procedures as they are legally required but often fail to do.

The trucking company is responsible for its drivers and trucks. Failing to inspect or properly maintain their trucking fleet is considered negligent behavior. This means if your accident or injury results from tire debris, you have the right to file a claim and seek damages for your suffering.

Get Legal Help if You Are Injured

If you’ve been injured due to a trucking company’s negligence, you need an attorney specializing in trucking accidents to protect your rights and help you seek damages. Contact Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers for a free case review today.

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