Although many people think of traditional car accidents involving the collision between a vehicle and another vehicle or even a vehicle and a pedestrian, you could also be severely injured when debris that is on an unsecured load flies off of a vehicle and hits your car or causes you to swerve around that obstacle in the roadway.
According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, between 2011 and 2014, more than 200,000 crashes in the United States were linked to something falling off of another vehicle. Within those accidents more than 500 deaths and 39,000 injuries resulted.
An unsecured load can be extremely dangerous as it may fly off and block the roadway. Even when the car behind the vehicle with the unsecured load is following with appropriate length, he or she may not have sufficient time in order to respond to the obstacle in the roadway.
Many of these accidents are caused by swerving and hitting either another vehicle or the barrier on the side of the road. In the event that you have been injured in an accident like this, you may need to consult with a California personal injury attorney about your rights and whether or not it makes sense to file a personal injury claim.
Individuals adding things onto their vehicles are responsible for ensuring that they are properly secured in order to minimize the risk of accidents.