How To Keep Debris From Causing A New Haven Auto Accident

An incident along I-95 in Westport is a good reminder that flying debris can cause a New Haven auto accident and if you’re not prepared for it it could find your vehicle and cause you to be injured.  In the incident, a tire from an unknown source flew through the air and hit a vehicle smashing it’s windshield and peeling away a huge part of the vehicles roof.  The driver, was injured and rushed to the Emergency Room for care.

When traveling at high speeds any amount of debris flying through the air can cause significant damage to your vehicle.  Things like stones can turn up from the road and hit your windshield in just the right way to cause visibility issues.   There are also the occasional items that come loose from vehicles who are transporting them that can fly into your lane or on to your car and cause you to swerve or directly hit your vehicle causing you to be injured or worse.

Accidents happen and there is really nothing you can do to completely prevent these things from happening.  However, you can take some steps to make sure you are as prepared as possible for a situation that arises that you might not be expecting to happen.  Some of the things you can do to help protect yourself in the event that a piece of debris comes flying at your vehicle and puts you in danger include the following;

1.) Always stay focused on the road in front of you and your surroundings.   Being an active driver can help protect you against unexpected dangers.  If your eyes are up and alert you will be able to react more quickly to a changing situation.  Avoid any and all distractions while you are driving and never look away from the road.  If a piece of debris comes flying at you and you are paying close enough attention you may be able to avoid it safely and without incident.

2.) Drive the speed limit.  There are a variety of reasons why speeding is dangerous.  If you get into an accident, regardless of whether it involves debris or not, excessive speeding will make the accident worse and cause more damage and a potentially more significant injury.  When it comes to debris your speed can leave you unable to respond effectively to something that is headed your way and therefore will leave you vulnerable to not being able to react in a way that will keep you and your passengers safe.  Driving at the speed limit is your best bet to staying safe if an unexpected piece of debris is airborne and coming your way.

3.) Respond calmly.  Seeing something flying at your windshield or into your driving path can be scary and may cause you to want to panic, but do your best to remain calm.  The only way to respond safely is to remain calm in the face of a scary situation.  It can be hard, but it can save your life.  If you are able to calmly but quickly address the impending situation you may be able to adjust your driving to avoid the flying debris all together and save yourself from accident or injury.

Flying debris of any kind can be dangerous when you’re driving at high speeds on highways and avoiding it may be next to impossible.  If you cannot avoid it you can take some of the steps above to help limit the impact of a New Haven auto accident that is caused by the debris while doing your best to keep you and your passengers safe.  Take the time to be prepared for all scenarios when you’re driving because it is better to be prepared to tackle an unexpected situation.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have been injured from an accident involving flying debris you may need to speak with an experienced attorney.  Contact our office and one of our attorneys who has seen many situations over the years can speak with you about your particular situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.