Here in California we see all kinds of things attached to roof racks: surfboards, bikes, mattresses, luggage, bikes, wheelchairs and all manners of things, Hopefully none of have seen the family pet up there, but that’s another story.
The reality is that items tied to vehicles or even ones that fly out of windows or parts off of the vehicles themselves cause hundreds of accidents every day. The results are trips to the repair shop, trips to the hospital and even phone calls to lawyers so that people will understand their legal rights.
When roof racks are overloaded with too much stuff they can act like a sail and actually affect the direction and speed of the vehicle itself due tot he wind pressure. There was a case not too long ago where a roof rack was loaded with five hundred and fifty pounds of goods – a full four hundred and fifty pounds more than it was capable of holding. The result was three deaths, when that high winds caused the vehicle to lose control and flip.
ROOF RACK ACCIDENTS
What happens when roof racks fail while the vehicle is moving and the contents wind up on the road? This is an incredibly dangerous series of events that has caused many car accidents in California, sent many people to the hospital and even been the basis for truck and motorcycle injury lawsuits. Accidents stemming from such things can include:
— bike racks,
— luggage racks,
— boat, jet-ski trailers,
— loosely tied items atop vehicles,
— products/items thrown out windows,
WHO IS LIABLE FOR ROAD DEBRIS?
What happens when road debris causes a car accident? With so many vehicles in California it’s almost impossible to drive anywhere without seeing debris in the road. Road debris – whether it trash that’s been thrown out of windows, broken glass, tire debris from 18-wheelers – causes serious injuries to motorists every single day here in California. Tragically, road debris causes nearly 100 deaths each year across the country.
The answer to “who is liable for road debris” is a complicated one and should be best answered by your auto accident injury lawyer.
18-WHEELER TIRE BLOWOUT
Have you ever seen those black rubber things on the highway? They just seem to pop up out of nowhere and sometimes can look very strange. They could be many things, but in most cases they are tire parts from 18-wheelers. They are blown out tires and they are extremely dangerous – if tire shrapnel hits your car it can cause you to swerve off the road, into another lane or even into oncoming traffic. There are reports every single day of accidents and even fatalities from such accidents.
If you find yourself in a road debris accident, make sure you take the time to explore your legal rights.
