Lumberton — Freeway debris, like off-ramps and hit-and-runs, can only be noticed if you’re right in front of your car and in danger of a collision.
The highway is a very familiar part of modern life, and its banal hustle and bustle hides another deep-rooted element: danger.
So how did a piece of a twisted tire find itself on the side of the road, or even more terrifyingly, right in front of a car, speeding down an interstate, or being surrounded by other vehicles and fleeing? do you do?
Sergeant Sherwood Lewis of the North Carolina Highway Patrol detailed the hazards and precautions. “Studies show that road debris is responsible for as many as 50,000 vehicle crashes annually across the United States.”
“There are many things that can be considered hazards,” he said of common roadside hazards on I95, “from tire debris to people walking in the driveway.” The most common is tire debris.
Cleanup and safety programs exist to deal with debris. Lewis said his IMAP team at the Department of Transportation has the equipment to remove the hazard.
“Modern vehicles have forward-looking collision avoidance features, but these features are intended to prevent collisions between two vehicles. The engineering work that goes into it is to protect the occupants.”
“When you’re driving on the interstate, you’re likely going at a higher speed than normal,” Lewis said. He explained that the distance traveled while responding to the accident increases, and so does the braking distance. High speeds also exacerbate mechanical deficiencies such as substandard tires.
“As an interstate motorist, you need to ensure adequate stopping and reaction distance on the highway,” Lewis said.
Copeland Jacobs at 910-416-5165 or [email protected]
