As a new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicates that you could be likely to be injured if something flies off another vehicle sharing the roadway with you. Between 2011 and 2014 more than 200,000 crashes across the United States had something to do with dangerous debris in the road or an unsecured load. More than 39,000 injuries and around 500 deaths were associated with those incidents during that same time period.

When someone is travelling with an unsecured load, you could be severely injured if that load flies off and lands directly on or near your vehicle. Some of the most common causes of accidents in this situation have to do with drivers attempting to swerve around the problem. Not being able to react quickly enough can cause serious issues associated with the accident. Individuals who have been critically injured in an accident like this may be entitled to file a personal injury claim. An unsecured load always poses risks for other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists on the road.

There are guidelines regarding the type of vehicles that should be used for heavy loads and how to secure down items that do not fit traditionally inside the vehicle. But if someone does not take proper safety and care, he or she may be endangering others and could even risk killing another individual. California personal injury law allows hurt victims to pursue legal claims against potentially responsible parties after speaking with a personal injury attorney.

Since most of these accidents happen when a driver tries to swerve to avoid hitting something, make sure you leave enough room between you and other drivers so that you can get out of the way quickly if debris does fly off someone else’s car. Some accidents, however, simply cannot be prevented even when you have left enough space between you and another driver. In these situations, consider whether or not a personal injury claim could be critical for allowing you to move on and recover from your injuries.