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(ARA) - Shredded tires and rusty car parts can often turn otherwise
beautiful roadways into unsightly landscapes, but this road-borne litter
is more than just harmful to the eyes, it's a serious threat to safe
driving. According to a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety, road debris littering the nation's highways causes at least 25,000
wrecks and 90 deaths a year in the United States and Canada.
"It's more than just a nuisance," says Peter Kissinger of the AAA
Foundation, which looked at accident data from 31 states for the study."
Almost every one of these deaths is preventable."
The Federal Highway Administration reports that road debris, along with
stalled cars, cause as much as 40 percent of the traffic congestion in the
United States. Accidents resulting from the debris average out to about 68
per day.
Of the 36 states that pick up debris on a daily or weekly basis, 87
percent reported tire treads among the five most common items. In fact, a
recent poll posted on the Yahoo! Autos Web site found that tires caused
the most frequent problems, with 33 percent of respondents having often
swerved to avoid them. Animals or wildlife posted the second highest tally
with 25 percent.
The AAA Foundation argues that better driver training and education,
stricter law enforcement and more stringent regulations on securing loads
to vehicles would help eliminate some of the dangers of road debris.
The auto industry is also taking notice. A new marketing campaign by
Mitsubishi Motors touts the accident-avoidance benefits of the company's
new Galant mid-sized sedan and Endeavor mid-sized SUV. A Mitsubishi
television commercial features two family sedans dodging objects thrown
from the back of a truck, dramatically simulating what many drivers face
every day while steering to avoid road debris.
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Mitsubishi asserts that characteristics like handling and cornering
ability, common considerations of people shopping for sports cars, should
be equally important to those considering a new ride for their family.
"Sports car enthusiasts have long demanded vehicles that can carve through
corners and swiftly navigate twisty roads," says Ian Beavis, senior vice
president of marketing, product planning and public relations. "Those same
characteristics, when applied to family cars, can help drivers safely
avoid a tire tread or small animal. It's easier to steer clear of road
debris in a car like Galant or Endeavor that performs better in accident
avoidance testing."
Mitsubishi has even set up a Web site, SeeWhatHappens.com, to show how
their family-oriented products stack up to the competition in critical
handling maneuvers. The company is hosting a 10-city ride and drive tour
that will allow consumers to test drive products from different
manufacturers and feel for themselves how the different vehicles compare
in accident avoidance situations.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Fast Cool Cars
Eco Cars
Webmaster Ron Landry
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