![]() ![]() Improper lighting places the driver and others in peril. It also helps them see pedestrians, bicycle riders and others who are crossing a road or walking along the edge. Improper LightingĪdequate road lighting helps a motorist see the area in front of the vehicle and to the side clearly. The Federal Highway Administration has recommended that these older guardrails be scrutinized and replaced if they are incapable of performing well in a crash. Aging guardrails are also a problem because they do not provide the safety measures of newer ones. A driver who loses control of a vehicle may go off the roadway and crash into a tree, ravine or other obstacle. Missing center guardrails mean that a drowsy driver may pass over the centerline without slowing down. When a vehicle strikes a guardrail, the end terminal absorbs the energy of the crash and slows the vehicle down. They consist of the posts, anchoring system, guardrail face and end terminal. Guardrails are designed to keep vehicles from going off the roadway, perhaps over a deep drop, or to keep them from crossing the centerline, which could cause a head on collision. This is especially true if the pothole has been in the location for a reasonable amount of time and has not been repaired. Government agencies in charge of repairing potholes can be held legally responsible if an accident occurs due to the presence of a pothole. This can result in serious injuries and fatalities. Since motorcycles have less stability than vehicles with four wheels, hitting a pothole can result in the biker being thrown from his or her bike. The edge of the pothole can push the motorcycle’s tire sideways or bend the wheel rim. Motorcyclists and bicyclists are most at risk for injury from potholes. In addition, hitting a pothole can cause a tire to burst or result in a rollover accident. It can result in engine and tire damage as well as cause problems with the steering system and suspension. This crater or pothole can cause havoc as car wheels hit a pothole, or a driver swerves to miss one. Potholes form when the road deteriorates due to bad weather and traffic pushes the broken pavement aside. The vehicle begins to shake when the brakes are applied. Another problem is when water enters the brake lines. This results in hydrolock causing the pistons to lock and a stalled engine. In addition, driving through a puddle can cause water to enter the engine bay, allowing it to be sucked into the air intakes and enter the cylinders. When this spray lands on a motorist’s windshield, it can obscure the driver’s vision and lead to an accident. A vehicle traveling at a higher speed through a puddle can cause the water spray to strike the vehicles on either side. ![]() On rainy days or when ice and snow has melted and left large puddles in the roadway, it presents a hazard to motorists, especially on highways. Smaller passenger cars, trucks and motorcycles all have a bigger problem with shoulder-edge drop-offs. Naturally, the faster the vehicle is moving, the greater the risk the driver will lose control when encountering a shoulder edge drop-off. Speed is an important factor in terms of controlling the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle may impact an obstacle beyond the shoulder such as a tree. The driver’s loss of control could also result in a rollover with an accompanying crush roof injury or driver ejection. The driver may move abruptly back into the travel lane and strike another vehicle. The greater the height distance between the paved road and the shoulder, the more likely the driver will overreact. When a driver accidently encounters a shoulder edge drop-off, their first thought is to get back in the paved lane. This type can be caused by rutting or soil erosion especially when road maintenance is not performed. Drop-offs also occur on shoulders that are unpaved. For instance, if the road is resurfaced but the height of the shoulder is not raised to be even with the paved surface, a drop-off can be created. Shoulder Edge Drop-OffĪ shoulder edge drop-off is one where the height of the shoulder is different from that of the paved road. ![]() Let’s explore the top 10 road hazards that drivers are likely to encounter. In some situations, a road hazard can lead to catastrophic injuries or a fatal accident. Liability for road hazards is complex in some instances, involving government agencies and construction companies. While driver error is still the number one cause, road hazards are a real danger. ![]()
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