25,000 crashes a year due to vehicle-related road debris

On June 16, 2004, the AAA Foundation released a study, which estimated the magnitude of crashes caused by vehicle parts, cargo, or other material that has been unintentionally discharged from vehicles onto the roadway. The report estimates such debris causes over 25,000 crashes per year in North America resulting in approximately 80-90 fatalities.

“Although vehicle-related road debris (VRRD) crashes are generally less severe than other crashes, individual incidents can be catastrophic ,” says Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Moreover, many of the estimated 25,000 VRRD crashes can be prevented if truckers and motorists secure their loads properly and report debris that they encounter on the road.”

Gerry Forbes of Intus Road Safety Engineering, Inc. conducted the research for the report, “The Safety Impact of Vehicle Related-Road Debris,” through an extensive literature review, identification and analysis of existing crash data, as well as surveys of current state and provincial practices for preventing and removing VRRD.

A survey of road authorities in the U.S. and Canada on maintenance practices found the three most prevalent forms of VRRD include tire treads, garbage from waste haulers, and lumber and construction materials.

The report recommends several low-cost educational and enforcement approaches as potential countermeasures to prevent VRRD crashes and to reduce crash severity when they occur:

• Educating motorists on load securement and reporting unsafe vehicles, unsecured loads, and road debris

• Educating motorists on defensive driving, especially around trucks in the event of wheel and tire separations

• Educating fleet maintenance personnel on preventing wheel separations

• Training commercial vehicle drivers to periodically inspect their vehicles and cargo

• Training enforcement officials in vehicle safety and load securement

• Targeting specific groups for enforcement (e.g., waste haulers, landscapers)

• Enacting stricter laws on load securement

The full report, fact sheet, PowerPoint presentation and press release are available on-line at www.aaafoundation.org/pdf/vrrd.pdf . If you would like a hard copy contact Saj Sosseh, Coordinator, Research & Education, info@aaafoundation.org .