Road Debris Accidents and Injuries

What is Road Debris?

Road debris is the term used to describe objects that end up on the road that do not belong there. Road debris can result from any number of sources, both vehicular and non-vehicular. Examples of road debris include:

• Tire that fell off of a truck
• Cardboard box
• Tree branch
• Mattress
• Loose/broken car part

Road debris is hazardous to drivers, cyclists, and even pedestrians. Accidents caused by road debris usually happen when a driver hits the object itself, or when a driver swerves to avoid the object and hits another vehicle or another object. 

How is Fault Determined for Road Debris Accident?

A few questions to ask that can help determine who is at fault for a road debris accident are:

• What type of debris is it?
• Where is it?
• How did it get there?
• How long has it been there?
• Who’s jurisdiction is the road?
• Did the road hazard cause the damages?

When an object falls off of a vehicle and into the road, the driver often does not notice and immediately drives away, making it difficult to assign blame to the party who dumped the debris. 

In some cases, the government can be held responsible for the accident. If the public entity in charge of that road had proper notice of the road hazard, and had ample time to take measures to protect against the hazard and failed to do so, then they may be at fault.

How Can I Avoid a Road Debris Accident?

To avoid a road debris accident, one should always:

• Stay alert while driving
• Look ahead on the road
• Use turn signals when changing lanes to avoid a road hazard
• Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you
• Adhere to all other traffic safety rules

What Should I Do if I was Involved in a Road Debris Accident?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a road debris accident, we invite you to contact our office at (310) 943-1171 for a free consultation and case review. Our staff speaks Spanish, Armenian, Russian, and French.